Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Junior reliever Sam Capps struck out four and the three through six hitters went a combined 9 for 16 for to help Fort Hays State beat Nebraska-Kearney, 7-4, Wednesday night at Memorial Field.

This was the Lopers final home game of the 2017 season. The win helps the Tigers salvage the last of a three-game series.

Leading from start to finish, Hays moved ahead 3-0 in the top of the fifth when cleanup hitter and catcher Trevor Hughes (2 for 5, one run) belted a two-run homer to right. UNK countered with a run in the bottom of the inning and then scored two more in the sixth.

The biggest inning of the night for the Lopers featured three hits, a wild pitch and sac fly. Freshman first baseman Ty Roseberry (Kearney H.S.) recorded his first collegiate extra base hit, a run scoring double to center, with senior third baseman Brent Kirsch (Papillion-LaVista South H.S.) bringing Roseberry home with a sac fly to center.

The momentum was short lived, however, as Hays scored three in the top of the seventh to open up a 7-3 lead. Five-hole hitter and first baseman Cody Starkel (3 for 4, one run and two RBI's) started things with a solo homer and then the Tigers took advantage of four walks to score two more.

Capps threw the final 3.2 innings to pick up his first save. He allowed one earned run on three hits and no walks. Lefty Ryan Ruder (3-2) threw the first 5.1 innings, fanning three and surrendering two earned runs.

For UNK, junior designated hitter Dallas Schramm (Millard North H.S.) went 2 for 4 and scored twice, sophomore left fielder Pate Katechis (Longmont, Colo.) went 2 for 4 and senior reliever Derek Clausen (Beatrice) blanked Hays over the final 3.0 innings.

The Lopers play three games at Southwest Baptist over the next two days.