February 20, 2009

Tiger baseball tripped up in extra innings

Rallying to send its game at Northern Oklahoma College into extra innings Thursday in Enid, Okla., the Cowley College baseball team seemed to have momentum on its side. However, the Jets scratched across a run in the bottom of the 10th inning to defeat the Tigers 9-8.

Cowley trailed 6-2 after five innings of play, and were still down 8-5 heading into the top of the ninth inning. Down to what could have been its final three outs, Cowley erupted for six hits in the ninth inning.

Colt Loehrs got the rally started with a single and advanced to second on a base hit by Andy Petz. Luke Zeller followed with a two-run double off Jets’ closer Tyler Dowse to pull the Tigers within 8-7.

Some base running blunders stopped the Tigers from taking the lead in the inning. Matt Garcia followed Zeller’s double with a single, but Zeller was tagged out going to third.

After Chance Ross grounded into a force out for the second out of the inning. Ronald Melendez singled, putting runners at first and third.

The Tigers’ Robert Thomas then came through with a clutch two-out hit that scored Ross with the tying run. However, Melendez was tagged out on the base paths ending the inning.

Zeller finished off his second scoreless inning of relief in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game into extra innings.

Cowley’s Frank Specht drew a leadoff walk in the top of the 10th, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Hege. The threat would be nullified when Dowse struck out Loehrs and Petz to end the inning.

Tiger sophomore Michael Flanagin relieved Zeller on the mound to start the bottom of the 10th and promptly walked the first batter he faced. Following a single, a sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk, Flanagin would be pulled in favor of Alex Schell.

Needing a double play to end the inning, Schell got the ground ball Cowley was looking for. Unfortunately, Cowley was only able to get the force out at second and was not able to turn the double play as the winning run crossed the plate.

The loss drops Cowley’s record to 3-3 on the season.

Calvin Drinnen started on the mound for the Tigers and allowed two runs in three innings pitched. Caleb Bass followed Drinnen on the mound and allowed five hits and five runs in two innings pitched. Chase Webb pitched the sixth and seventh innings and allowed two hits and one run before giving way to Zeller.

Melendez led Cowley at the plate by going 3-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Loehrs and Zeller each added two hits for the Tigers.

Cowley will be back in action this weekend when they play in Carthage, Texas. The Tigers will play a doubleheader against Panola College Sunday at noon.