Season Statistics
Kelly Swygert pitched a complete-game shutout in the opener and then pitched 5 2/3 innings of relief to earn a pair of wins as Washburn swept Fort Hays State at the WU Softball Complex Sunday in both team's MIAA openers. The Lady Blues took game one 5-0 and then came back to get the night cap 5-4 in eight innings.
Washburn, winners of six straight and now 11-15 and 2-0 in the league, will continue action with five games in a tournament at Missouri Western Friday and Saturday. FHSU dropped to 15-13 and 0-2.
Game 1
Box Score
Whitney Tapp doubled in the bottom of the first inning but the Lady Blues didn't get any offensive production until
Dani White hit a home run to left centerfield in the fourth inning that led Washburn to a 5-0 lead in the opener.
Swygert earned her third shutout of the year as she went the distance and allowed seven hits without a walk.
She got some insurance from her offense in the sixth inning when
Brooke DeVader hit a solo homer that made the score 2-0. FHSU then allowed two Lady Blues to reach on an error and a hit batter and then
Ashley Shaffer drove in a run on a single and
Jessie Batres drove in a pair on a double.
The Tiger's biggest threat came in the fifth inning when Anna Herl led off with a single. She would have scored to tie the game during the next at-bat but Tapp, the Lady Blues catcher, picked her off at first base before Savannah Hall tripled to right field.
Swygert then retired the next two batters on a strikeout and a ground out.
Game 2
Box Score
With two outs and a runner at third with the score tied in the bottom of the eighth,
Tish Williams smacked a single to centerfield that drove in the winning run to give the Lady Blues a 5-4 victory as they earned the sweep and won their sixth straight.
Swygert pitched the final 5 2/3 innings after pitching a complete game in the opener as she earned both wins. In the final game she allowed no runs on six hits with a walk and she improved to 7-6 on the year.
The Lady Blues broke through early with three runs in the first. White and
Malarie Fellers each had RBI singles and DeVader scored on a throwing error by the catcher on a pickoff attempt.
Kayla Long started for the Lady Blues and allowed five straight singles to the Lady Tigers in the third inning. Swygert entered the circle in relief and allowed a double that completed a four-run inning that gave FHSU a 4-3 lead.
Washburn tied the score in the fifth when White homered to left center for her second long ball of the game.
The Tigers left two on in the sixth and two more on in the eighth but couldn't break the tie.
Shaffer led off the eighth by reaching on an error and then Batres got her to second on a sacrifice bunt. She later made it to third on a wild pitch that set up Williams' game-winning RBI single, her first hit of the night in eight tries.
Notes
• Swygert threw 160 pitches in the two games and allowed no runs on 13 hits with two strikeouts and a walk. She lowered her season ERA from 2.65 at the start of the games to 2.26 after 12 2/3 shutout innings.
• White was 3 for 7 in the two games with two home runs and three RBI. She now has six on the season.
• The Lady Blues have swept their last three doubleheaders to win six straight. They are batting .382 during the streak and Tapp is leading with a .500 average (11 for 22) while Williams leads with 11 RBI.
