Feb. 26, 2004

Tigers use long ball to beat Connors State 13-2

WARNER, Okla. -- After hitting just one home run in its first four games, the No. 9-ranked Cowley County Community College baseball team belted four homers in a 13-2 win at 10th-ranked Connors State College on Wednesday.

The Tigers jumped on Cowboys' starting pitcher Jared Swart for six runs in the top of the first inning. Hunter Harrigan's two-run homer and Clay Blevins' two-run double highlighted the big first inning.

"That first inning set the tone for the game," Cowley assistant coach Darren Burroughs said.

Sophomore right-hander Josh Wahpepah (1-0) threw three scoreless innings to pick up his first win of the season. Wahpepah did not allow a hit, but did walk four batters in his three innings on the mound.

Cowley added a couple of runs in the second inning to lead 8-0, and increased its lead to 9-0 on a solo homer by sophomore Colby Overstreet in the fourth. Deik Scram's solo homer in the top of the fifth made the score 10-0, before Connors scored its only two runs of the game off the Tigers' Trace Larman in the bottom of the sixth.

Cowley capped the scoring with three runs in the seventh. In the inning, Kellen Linville blasted a two-run homer, and Harrigan added an RBI single. Sophomore Adam Henry tossed two scoreless innings of relief to finish off the 13-2 win.

Cowley outhit Connors 15-2 as it improves to 3-2 on the season.

"I thought our guys swung the bat really well," Burroughs said.

Linville led the Tigers' hit parade by going 4-4 with a home run and three runs batted in. Overstreet went 2-4 with three runs scored and two runs batted in, while Clay Blevins went 3-5 with two doubles, three runs scored and two RBI.

Cowley will play its home opener today at 2 p.m. against Northern Oklahoma College (Tonkawa) at City Ball Park.