February 23, 2009

Cowley baseball splits doubleheader at Panola College

Playing a doubleheader at Panola (Texas) College Sunday in Carthage, Texas, the Cowley College baseball team rallied for a 6-5 win of game one before losing the second game by a score of 5-1.

In the opener, Cowley starting pitcher, Alex Schell, allowed a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning. Cowley got a run back in the top of the second inning and then tied the score at 3-3 on a two-run single by Colt Loehrs in the top of the fourth.

However, the Ponies regained the lead with two solo home runs off Tiger reliever, Stephen Spirlock, in the bottom half of the fourth inning.

The Tigers would tie the game at 5-5 on a two-run homer by sophomore third baseman Frank Specht with two outs in the top of the fifth inning. Specht would finish with three hits in the game.

Cowley grabbed the lead in the top of the sixth inning as Luke Zeller doubled leading off the inning, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Caleb Bass, and scored on a two-out single by Chance Ross.

The Tigers would make the lead stand up as Harrison Mendez (1-0) pitched a scoreless sixth inning to earn the win, and Michael Flanagin pitched around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh to record the save.

Cowley out-hit Panola 11-5. Tiger freshman Ryan Hege continues to impress at the plate as he went 3-for-3 in the win.

In the nightcap, Panola struck for four runs in the bottom of the second inning and Cowley was held to two hits in a 5-1 loss.

The Tigers grabbed an early lead in the second game as they notched both of their hits in the contest in the top of the second inning. Loehrs doubled with one out in the top of the second inning and came around to score on a two-out single by Matt Garcia.

But, the Ponies scored four runs on three hits and two walks by Tiger starting pitcher, Stephen Kohlscheen, in the bottom of the second.

Panola would add another run in the top of the third and that would be all the scoring in the game. Kohlscheen would take the loss for the Tigers as he allowed six hits and five runs in three innings pitched. Kohlscheen also walked four and struck out two. The Tiger defense did not help matters as they committed a pair of errors behind him.

Freshman reliever Zach Cargill was a bright spot in the defeat as he allowed only two hits and no runs in three innings of relief.

Cowley is now 4-4 on the season. The Tigers will host Hutchinson in a single, nine-inning game, Wednesday at 2 p.m.