Tiger baseball rallies to sweep Fort Scott

Trailing 6-2 in the first game and 6-0 in the nightcap of its home doubleheader against Fort Scott on Saturday, the No. 10-ranked Cowley College baseball team rallied to win both games 7-6.

“The positive thing is we came out with a couple of victories,” Cowley assistant coach Darren Burroughs said. “The guys showed fortitude to come back, you have got to commend them for that.”

In the opener, Cowley jumped on top 2-0 as Frank Specht hit an RBI triple and Travis Carney delivered a run scoring single in a two-run second inning. However, Fort Scott scored a run in the third and three more in the fourth off Tiger starting pitcher John Maler to lead 4-2.

The Greyhounds would add two more runs in the sixth off Tiger reliever Alex Schell to lead 6-2.

Down to its final three outs, Specht singled leading off the bottom of the seventh inning. Carney followed with a double to put runners at second and third. Colt Loehrs’ infield single scored Specht and pinch hitter Tom O’Gorman walked to load the bases.

Kenny Hitchcock then laid down a bunt that was mishandled by the first baseman, allowing Carney to score the second run of the inning. An error by the second baseman on a ground ball hit by Tyson Parks then allowed Loehrs to score and make it a one-run game.

After Luke Zeller flied out for the first out in the inning, sophomore Brice Cole hit a high chopper over the first baseman’s head to score pinch runners Nick Snow and Chase Roten with the winning runs.

Cole finished the game 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI’s. Specht and Carney also had two hits apiece as the trio combined for six of the Tigers’ seven hits. Schell (3-0) picked up the win as he allowed three hits and two runs in two innings of relief.

In the second game, the Greyhounds got to Cowley starting pitcher Connor Farris for five runs in 3 2/3 innings. Fort Scott would score a run in the fifth inning off Tiger reliever Zack Potter to increase its lead to 6-0.

After Fort Scott starting pitcher Adam Johnston retired O’Gorman to begin the bottom of the fifth, he then walked the next three batters. Back-to-back singles by Roten and Azzopardi scored three runs, while Cole and Specht added RBI singles in the inning to cut the Greyhounds’ lead to 6-5.

Michael Flanagin entered the game for the Tigers with a man on second and nobody out in the top of the sixth inning and pitched out of trouble. Carney then singled leading off the bottom half of the inning. After Andy Petz sacrificed pinch runner Nick Snow to second, Heath Wall doubled to tie the game at 6-6.

Following a fly out by Roten, Azzopardi hit a flare down the right field line to score Wall with the go-ahead run.

In the top of the seventh, Fort Scott’s Andrew Minnich hit a one-out single and then stole second with two outs. However, Minnich got greedy and got picked off by Flanagin trying to steal third to end the game.

Azzopardi and Roten each went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI’s in the win. Flanagin (2-3) earned the win as he allowed one hit and no runs in two innings of relief.

Cowley is now 18-11 overall and 15-3 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division. The loss drops Fort Scott’s record to 16-13 overall and 8-6 in the conference.

The Tigers will now prepare for the long road trip to Highland, as they will play the Scotties Tuesday at 1 p.m.

“It’s a long drive and a tough place to play,” Burroughs said.