March 23, 2009

Cowley baseball goes 5-1 versus conference foes

Playing six conference games over Spring Break, the Cowley College baseball team continued to play well as they won five of six games and improved to 8-2 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division.

On Tuesday, Cowley swept a doubleheader at Highland Community College by scores of 12-2 and 6-2. In the first game, sophomore Stephen Kohlscheen struck out 11 batters in six innings as he improved to 2-1 on the season. After allowing two runs in the bottom of the first inning, Kohlscheen settled down to allow only three base runners the rest of the way.

Cowley grabbed the lead in the top of the third inning on Frank Specht’s grand slam. The homer was Specht’s third of the season.

The Tigers would score five runs on two hits in the fifth inning. Highland pitchers hit two batters and walked two in the inning. Caleb Bass had a two-run single in the five-run fifth inning.

Robert Thomas, Luke Zeller and Ryan Hege had run scoring hits in the sixth inning as Cowley run-ruled the Scotties. Ronald Melendez, Ross and Specht each had two hits in the win.

In the second game vs. Highland, Cowley scored six runs in the first three innings en route to a 6-2 win. Freshman pitcher Zach Cargill improved to 3-0 as he allowed only three hits and one earned run in 5 1/3 innings pitched.

Trevor Rosenthal relieved Cargill with Cowley leading 6-2 and the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. Rosenthal escaped the jam and pitched a scoreless seventh inning to record his second save of the season. Rosenthal did not allow a hit, while striking out three in 1 2/3 innings of relief.

Batting ninth in the Tigers lineup, Chance Ross went 3-for-4 with a RBI. Robert Melendez added two hits, one of which was a two-run triple that gave the Tigers’ a 3-1 lead in the second inning.

Cowley would return to action Thursday at Independence. After getting shut out 4-0 in the opening game, the Tigers would bounce back to win the nightcap by a score of 6-3.

The Tigers managed just five hits in the loss of game one. John Maler (1-2) took the loss as he allowed four hits and four runs in four innings pitched. Chase Webb relieved Maler on the mound and pitched two scoreless innings.

Andy Petz had two of Cowley’s five hits in the defeat.

In the nightcap, Cowley had four pitchers combine on a six-hitter as the Tigers beat Independence 6-3. Quinton Bane started on the mound and allowed three hits and one run in three innings of work. Bane left the game with Cowley trailing 1-0.

Eric Faust (1-0) relieved Bane and worked two scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season.

After being held scoreless for the first 10 innings of its doubleheader at Independence, Cowley finally got its offense on track as they would use six hits to score five runs over the course of the fourth and fifth innings. B.J. Misialek had run scoring singles in each inning, and added a RBI double in the seventh as he went 4-for-4 with three RBI’s in the win.

Caleb Bass allowed an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth inning and Michael Flanagin allowed a run in the seventh before nailing down his fourth save of the season.

The Tigers would wrap up its busy week by hosting a doubleheader against Kansas City on Saturday. Cowley would build big leads in both games and hold on to win 10-9 and 9-4.

In game one, Cowley scored seven runs in the second inning as they raced out to an 8-2 lead. However, Kansas City chased Tiger starting pitcher Calvin Drinnen from the game by scoring two runs in the fourth inning and four more in the fifth to cut Cowley’s lead to 9-8. The Blue Devils would score a run off Tiger reliever Chase Webb (2-0) in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game at 9-9.

In the bottom of the seventh, Tyler Hancock hit a one-out double and after an intentional walk to Luke Zeller, Hancock would score the winning run as B.J. Misialek grounded into a fielders choice.

Drinnen was charged with six hits and three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings pitched. Specht led Cowley at the plate as he went 2-for-4 with two RBI’s, while Robert Thomas also drove in a pair of runs.

In game two, Cowley scored a pair of runs in the first and third innings and blew the game open with five runs in the fifth inning as they led 9-0 after five innings of play. Alex Schell (1-1) earned his first win of the season as he pitched five scoreless innings and allowed only two hits.

Rosenthal was charged with four runs in his one inning of relief before Flanagin pitched a one-two-three seventh inning.

Zeller continued his solid play by going 3-for-4 with two RBI’s, while Melendez added two hits and a RBI.
Cowley is now 17-7 overall and 8-2 in the Jayhawk East. The Tigers are tied with Johnson County for first place in the conference.

Cowley will host Allen County in a doubleheader Tuesday at 2 p.m. The Red Devils are 12-8 overall and 4-4 in the Jayhawk East.