HAYS, Kan. – The East Central University baseball team traveled to Kansas for a non-conference series against Fort Hays State University Feb. 7-8. In the opening games on Friday, the Tigers dropped a pitcher's duel 2-0 before falling 13-3 in a run-rule nightcap. Saturday's game was rescheduled to a single contest due to a cold front, but ECU bounced back in a big way, securing a dominant 13-0 shutout victory to end the weekend on a high note.
 
The win marked ECU's first of the 2025 season and their first shutout, thanks to an outstanding performance from pitcher Ezra Gustafson. The Tigers will now head into Great American Conference play, set for Feb. 14-15 against Henderson State University in Arkansas.
 
GAME 1 | ECU 0, FHSU 2
Starting pitcher Joel Hogan delivered a strong five innings in the series opener, allowing just one run to keep the Tigers in the game. The lone run came in the third inning on an RBI single, giving FHSU a 1-0 lead. Despite Hogan's effort, the ECU bats couldn't get going, and FHSU added another run in the sixth with a double to take a 2-0 advantage.
 
ECU attempted a rally in the ninth, with Weldon Sherrell drawing a walk and Ryan Strickland hitting a double. However, a pair of groundouts, including a double play, ended the game and sealed the win for FHSU.
 
GAME 2 | ECU 3, FHSU 13
ECU struck first in game two, scoring two runs in the second inning on three hits. Ryan Strickland singled, Blake Seefeldt doubled, and Christian Fernandez hit an RBI single to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. However, FHSU quickly responded, taking the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the second.
 
Though ECU stayed within striking distance, FHSU extended their lead with runs in the fourth and fifth innings, eventually breaking the game open in the seventh with five runs to lead 10-2. ECU's Zac Carroll hit his first home run of the season in the eighth, but FHSU answered with three more runs to secure the run-rule victory.
 
GAME 3 | ECU 13, FHSU 0
In the final game of the series, ECU came out firing, dominating FHSU with a 13-0 shutout win. The Tigers collected 14 hits in the game, the most they've had all season, with every starter picking up at least one hit.
 
ECU wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning, with Ryan Strickland hitting a two-run homer to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. After a quick 1-2-3 inning defensively, ECU added four more runs in the second inning. Mason Shimkus and Zac Carroll each hit RBI singles, and Ethan Rone drew a bases-loaded walk before later scoring on a passed ball to push the lead to 6-0.
 
FHSU struggled to get anything going offensively while ECU continued to add to their lead. In the third inning, Tyler Akers hit an RBI single, and Weldon Sherrell plated a run with a sacrifice fly, bringing the lead to 8-0. Akers then added another 2-RBI single in the fourth, extending the lead to 10-0.
 
The Tigers stayed hot with more runs in the final two innings. Rone added an RBI single in the sixth, and Seefeldt brought in two more with a single in the seventh to cap off the scoring at 13-0.
 
Tyler Akers was the standout at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs. Weldon Sherrell, Blake Seefeldt, and Bennie Qualls all had two hits apiece.
 
On the mound, Ezra Gustafson earned his first win of the season, tossing a complete game shutout. He allowed just three hits and struck out four, giving ECU their first shutout of the season and securing the dominant win.