February 16, 2009

Tiger baseball sweeps doubleheader against Jefferson College

Playing its first doubleheader of the season, the Cowley College baseball team swept a pair of games against visiting Jefferson College Saturday at City Ball Park in Arkansas City.

Cowley rallied from an early 3-0 deficit in the opener to win 7-6. The Tigers then had five pitchers combine on a five-hit shutout in a 6-0 win of game two.

“Any time you can throw a shutout you have got to be pretty happy for those guys,” Cowley head coach Dave Burroughs said. “There were a lot of bright spots, but we also have things we need to work on.”

In the opener, Jefferson jumped out to an early 3-0 lead as they scored three runs in its first at bat. Two runs scored on passed balls and another run scored on an error. Tiger starting pitcher, Zach Cargill, did not help his cause as he walked three batters in the inning.

Cowley answered by showing patience at the plate in the bottom half of the first inning as they benefited from two walks, two passed balls and an error to score three runs and tie the game at 3-3. Ryan Hege had the Tigers only hit in the inning, a two-run single that scored B.J. Misialek and Frank Specht.

Cowley would add a run in the second inning to lead 4-3. Hege would again come through for the Tigers in the bottom of the third inning as he doubled to score Colt Loehrs, and came around to score on a balk.
Sophomore Calvin Drinnen (2-1) relieved Cargill on the mound and tossed two scoreless innings of relief as he earned the win.

Robert Thomas singled to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning, stole second, and scored on a single by Misialek, putting the Tigers ahead 7-3.

Stephen Kohlscheen followed Drinnen on the mound and allowed one run in two innings of work. With Cowley leading 7-4, freshman pitcher Chase Webb entered the game in the top of the sixth inning. Webb pitched a scoreless sixth inning before running into trouble in the seventh.

Jefferson scored two runs with two outs to cut the Tigers’ lead to 7-6 before Webb ended the threat with a strikeout.

Hege had two of the Tigers’ seven hits as he went 2-for-3 with three runs batted in. Misialek added two hits and a stolen base.

In the nightcap, Cowley got a pair of run scoring singles from Chance Ross and five pitchers combined to shutout Jefferson 6-0.

Cowley scored two runs in the fourth, three in the fifth, and one in the sixth inning as they finished with eight hits and took advantage of three errors by the visitors.

Caleb Bass started on the mound for Cowley and allowed three hits and no runs in two innings pitched. Sophomore John Maler would pitch the next two innings and surrender just one hit.

Freshman Quentin Bane then retired all four batters he would face before giving way to Eric Faust, who retired both batters he went up against.

Michael Flanagin closed the game out by pitching a scoreless seventh inning. Flanagin recorded the only strikeout by a Tiger pitcher in the second game, while all five Cowley pitchers failed to walk a batter.

“Those guys were more concerned with hitting their spots than striking out somebody,” Burroughs said.
Hege finished the two games 3-for-6 with four runs batted in.

“He had a good day,” Burroughs said. “Once he figures out how to be consistent he will have a chance to be really good.”

Along with Ross’ two hits, Luke Zeller went 2-for-3 with a run batted in.

The victories improve Cowley’s record to 3-2 on the season. Even though he was happy to get the wins, Burroughs realizes the team needs to do better at not wasting scoring opportunities.

“Offensively, we have got a ways to go,” Burroughs said.

Cowley will be back in action Thursday when they play a nine-inning game at Northern Oklahoma College beginning at 2 p.m.

“That won’t be easy, they are one of the better (NJCAA) Division II teams in Oklahoma,” Burroughs said.