Pitching leads Tigers to road wins at Highland

Allowing just seven hits in two games, the Cowley College baseball team swept a doubleheader at Highland Wednesday.

The Tigers rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to win game one 4-2. Cowley then trailed 3-1 in game two before rallying for a 6-3 win in eight innings.

After allowing two runs in the first inning of game one, freshman Stephen Kohlscheen did not allow another run as he went the distance on the mound. Kohlscheen (3-2) surrendered just four hits, while striking out seven and walking three.

Cowley had just six hits in the win, but three went for doubles. The Tigers’ two through five hitters combined for all six of the teams’ hits.

In game two, Highland again scored two runs in the first inning, but the Tigers’ Calvin Drinnen settled down to last 5 2/3 innings on the mound. Drinnen allowed just two hits and one earned run as he left with the game tied at 3-3.

“Both Stephen and Calvin started shaky and then really did a good job of shutting them down,” Cowley assistant coach Darren Burroughs said. “They both found a groove and stayed with it.”

With the score tied at 3-3, Cowley’s Luke Zeller led off the top of the eighth inning by getting hit by a pitch. Zeller then stole second and advanced to third on an error. After Heath Wall grounded out, Frank Specht was intentionally walked to put runners on first and third.

Colt Loehrs then laid down a safety squeeze bunt that scored Zeller with the go-ahead run. Andy Petz and Chase Roten followed with RBI singles as Cowley opened a 6-3 lead.

“We are doing what we have got to do to win games,” Burroughs said. “We are coming up with hits at important times in the game.”

Michael Flanagin, who relieved Drinnen with two outs in the sixth inning, pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to even his record at 3-3 on the season. Flanagin allowed just one hit, while striking out three.

Roten went 4-for-5 with a double, two stolen bases and a RBI in the win, while Specht went 2-for-2 with two runs scored.

Cowley has won seven games in a row and have a three-game lead over Johnson County in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division. The Tigers are now 20-11 overall and 17-3 in the conference.

Cowley’s scheduled home doubleheader against Johnson County today has been postponed due to rain. The doubleheader has been rescheduled to take place Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Cowley will also host Labette in a doubleheader Saturday at 2 p.m.

“They are all big games, with a three-game lead you can’t look past somebody and give a game back,” Burroughs said. “It will be a fun weekend.”