Fort Hays State 7 Wayne State 2

            Fort Hays State scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to snap a 2-2 tie as the Tigers went on to record a 7-2 non-conference college baseball win over Wayne State College Sunday afternoon at Larks Park in Hays, Kansas.  Fort Hays State is now 25-19 on the season while the Wildcats drop to 26-16.

            The host Tigers grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the first inning off Wildcat starter Nick Ragan.  But WSC plated single runs in the second and fourth innings to even the score at 2-2.  In the second, Jake Ritzdorf reached on a fielder's choice and later scored when Brett Keim reached on a Fort Hays State fielding error.  In the fourth inning, Wildcat sophomore first baseman C.J. Nolen led off with a solo homer down the right field line to make the score 2-2.

            Fort Hays State then scored five runs on five hits off three different Wildcat pitchers in the seventh inning to take a 7-2 lead and held WSC scoreless the rest of the game to record the 7-2 win.

            WSC had six hits in the contest with freshman catcher Kevin Anderson going 2 for 3 with a double and single.  Nolen finished 2 for 4 with a solo homer and single while Justin Beranek doubled.  The other WSC hit was a single by Brett Keim. 

            Tadd Johansen (6-3) was tagged with the pitching loss in a rare relief appearance.  Starter Nick Ragan worked the first 4 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on six hits with one strikeout and three walks.  Johansen pitched the next two innings and was charged with three runs on two hits with two walks and a strikeout.  Jerad Barth and Taylor Simmonds pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for the Wildcats. 

            Wayne State returns to Northern Sun Conference play on Wednesday afternoon hosting Minnesota, Crookston in a doubleheader starting at 12:00 p.m. at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.