HAYS, KS - Colorado Christian headed out to Kansas to take on the Tigers from Fort Hays State University in a short non-conference series, with a doubleheader on day one. The two teams battled hard in each game with great pitching and stellar hitting as the Cougars took the first game 11-5 but dropped the second game 9-11. 

GAME ONE
Lukas Hinze started off by walking on a full count pitch followed by a single from Taylor McLeod. Mason Hagel-Pitt got on base by a fielding error from Fort Hays, giving Hinze the chance with his speed to round third and head home to give the Cougars the first run. The error sent McLeod to third and he eventually made his way to home plate on an RBI single from Cade Lacy. 

The Tigers got the game leveled with a two-run home run, but that would be the only damage of the first inning from the hosts. Hinze in the third showed why the leadoff hitter is always the go-to man, with a home run to right center field on the first pitch he saw. FHSU would tie the game, this time from a balk from the pitcher advancing the two runners already on base scoring the tying run to make it 3-3. 

After a scoreless fourth inning from both teams, CCU knew it was time to strike against their opponents. Aidan Welsh took one for his team on a hit by pitch, then proceeded to steal second base successfully. Lacy reached first on yet another fielding error from the Tigers, then Nathan Mensen hit a double to center field, and another error allowed him to reach third base and scored Welsh and Lacy with both runs being unearned. Nathan Owens brought the heat to his next at bat with a two-run home run to extend their lead 7-3.

The Cougars retired the Tigers in the bottom of the fifth with three up, three down giving CCU the chance to stay hot in the batter's box. Tanner Rae walked in his at bat, and behind him was Hinze who singled and stole for second when Rae stole for third and scored on an errant throw from the Tigers' catcher. With the bases loaded for CCU, Hinze and McLeod both scored from a two RBI single from Lacy. Hinze would score Seth Gustafson in the seventh, and the Tigers would try their best to rally but CCU shut them down in game one winning 11-5. 

GAME TWO
The Cougars kept the runs coming in game two, with Lacy ripping the ball to left field scoring Hinze and Hagel-Pitt. The hosts did the same thing they did in game one and drilled a two-run home run to tie the game 2-2. If anything, that home run ignited a fuse for CCU as they scored Austin DeMello to start the second inning. Hagel-Pitt sent a sacrifice fly to right field to score Rae, taking Hinze to third base. Welsh doubled to left field to score Hinze and McLeod to give CCU the 6-2 lead.

The Tigers put up another two-run home run on the day, followed by two more runs for CCU with Lacy and DeMello both scoring. Fort Hays kept clawing back into the game on a double and a wild pitch from CCU to cut the lead slightly. Brandon de Hondol got himself an RBI on a sacrifice fly out to score Gustafson, but the hosts put up four runs in the fifth inning giving them their first lead of the series 11-9. The Cougars did all they could, but the score would stay the same throughout the seven-inning game giving the Tigers the win 11-9.

Lacy collected five RBI combined in the two games, while TJ McCraw picked up his first win on the mound for CCU pitching 5.0 innings with four hits and three runs allowed. 

The Cougars will return to Larks Park tomorrow, April 18 for the series finale looking to get the series win. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. MDT.