March 13, 2006

Tiger baseball team opens conference slate with wins at Fort Scott

After winning a one-run game over Fort Scott in the opener, the No. 9-ranked Cowley College baseball team coasted to a 17-0 win of game two as they opened conference play with a pair of road wins on Saturday.

Fort Scott entered the contest with a record of 10-2 overall and 2-0 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division, and swept a doubleheader against the Tigers last season in Fort Scott.

However, after winning the first game 6-5, Cowley needed just five innings to run-rule the Greyhounds 17-0 in the nightcap.

“Our guys found a way to win that first game, and the second game started out good and just got better,” Cowley head coach Dave Burroughs said. “I think we are getting better.”

Cowley pounded out 22 hits in 12 innings of the doubleheader, and out-hit Fort Scott 13-1 in the second game of the doubleheader.

In game one, freshman Jason Sowers went 3-for-4 with five runs batted in. Brad Miller (1-0) allowed seven hits and five runs in five innings pitched as he picked up the win for the Tigers. Tiger relievers Kendall Cogan and Kyle Thornton each pitched perfect innings of relief, with Thornton picking up his fifth save of the season.

In game two, Cowley scored four runs in the first inning, five in the third, and eight runs in the fifth. Nick Troilo went 4-for-5 batting in the leadoff spot, while sophomore catcher Patrick D’Aoust belted his second home run of the season and went 2-for-4 with six runs batted in.

Freshman Lance Hoge (1-1) picked up his first win of the season as he allowed just one hit and no runs in four innings pitched. J.J. Dellinger pitched a scoreless fifth inning to preserve the shutout.

Cowley, winners of eight of its last nine games, is now 11-5 overall and 2-0 in the Jayhawk East. The Tigers will be back in action Tuesday when they host Neosho County in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.

“That will be a big doubleheader,” Burroughs said. “It will be a good challenge for us.”

Score by inning:    

Game one                          R H E
Cowley     3 0 1 0 2 0 0 — 6 9 1
Fort Scott 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 — 5 7 2

Game two                       R H E
Cowley     4 0 5 0 8 — 17 13 1
Fort Scott 0 0 0 0 0 —   0   1 3