Cowley baseball drops doubleheader vs. No. 5-ranked Iowa Western

Continuing its tough early season schedule, the No. 10-ranked Cowley College baseball team dropped a pair of games against Iowa Western Community College Saturday at City Ball Park.

Cowley lost the first game 8-1 and then fell in the nightcap by a score of 8-4. Cowley is now 2-6 on the season, with seven of their eight games coming against ranked opponents.

Both Iowa Western and Cowley were JUCO World Series participants last season.

“We have played some good teams in hopes it will make us better later on,” Cowley assistant coach Darren Burroughs said. “It may cost us some wins early, but we feel it prepares us for down the road.”

In game one, Kirk Clark started on the mound for the Reivers and allowed only one hit in five innings. Clark left the game with Iowa Western leading 6-0.

Mike Strong and Tyler Bevard each pitched an inning to finish off the 8-1 win.

Cowley’s lone run came on Tyson Parks’ sacrifice fly that scored pinch runner Brice Cole in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Reivers out-hit Cowley 11-2. Rob Lind led Iowa Western by going 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI’s.

Stephen Kohlscheen (0-1) took the loss for the Tigers as he allowed eight hits and six runs in three innings pitched. John Maler pitched the final four innings and allowed three hits and two runs.

In game two, Cowley again fell behind early in the game as Doug Kroll’s two-run homer off Calvin Drinnen in the top of the third inning put the Reivers on top 3-0.

Cowley got a two-run single by Heath Wall in the bottom of the third to cut the Reivers’ lead to 3-2. However, Iowa Western got back-to-back home runs from Kyle Bowers and Kevin Kearney to increase its lead to 5-2.

The Reivers would add a run in the sixth inning, and two more in the seventh. Kroll hit his second home run of the game in the seventh and finished 3-for-4 with two RBI’s.

Cowley got run scoring singles from Travis Carney and Parks in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough.

Brian Feekin picked up the win for Iowa Western as he allowed two hits and two runs in three innings pitched. Drinnen (0-1) took the loss for the Tigers as he allowed nine hits and five runs in four innings pitched.

Alex Schell relieved Drinnen on the mound and allowed two hits and one run in two innings pitched, while Michael Flanagin surrendered three hits and two runs while pitching the seventh.

Cowley managed just four hits in the second game and six hits in the doubleheader. Iowa Western finished with 25 hits in the two games.

“Iowa Western had a great approach at the plate and came at us throwing strikes on the mound,” Burroughs said.

The Tigers’ doubleheader at Rose State today has been postponed. The doubleheader has been rescheduled to take place Wednesday at 2 p.m. in Midwest City, Okla.

“The team has gone through a lot weather wise and personal wise, we just have to continue to put one foot in front of the other and battle,” Burroughs said.

Pictured is John Chaisson.