Tigers continue winning ways, beat Rose State 15-9

Playing the first of eight home games in six days, the No. 10-ranked Cowley College baseball team used a seven-run eighth inning to defeat Rose State 15-9 Monday at City Ball Park.

The Tigers lost at Rose State on March 4 to fall to 2-7 on the season, but have won 11 of their last 14 games to improve to 13-10 on the season.

“There is no doubt we have made some progress since the last time we played them,” Cowley assistant coach Darren Burroughs said.

After Rose State had rallied to tie the game at 8-8 by scoring three runs off Tiger reliever Chris O’Brien in the top of the seventh inning, Cowley got a two-run triple by Andy Petz to go back on top in the bottom of the eighth. The Tigers would tack on five more runs in the inning en route to the 15-9 win.

Tyson Parks and Luke Zeller each had four hits in the victory and combined to score five runs. Zeller also started on the mound and allowed five hits and three runs in three innings pitched.

Jared Shelton relieved Zeller on the mound and allowed two hits and two earned runs in three innings of work, while O’Brien (2-0) pitched the final three innings to get the win.

Cowley, which out-hit Rose State 16-11, will host Kansas City in a conference doubleheader today at 1 p.m. They will then host a nine-inning game against Hutchinson Wednesday at 2 p.m. The Tigers will conclude their 10-game home stand, which started last Thursday, by hosting doubleheaders against Independence and Fort Scott on Thursday and Saturday.

Cowley is 6-2 at home on the season.

“You always want to defend your home turf,” Burroughs said.