April 24, 2009

Tigers run winning streak to nine games, put pressure on Johnson County

Continuing to get solid pitching and defense, the No. 17-ranked Cowley College baseball team ran its winning streak to nine games with a doubleheader sweep of Fort Scott Thursday in Arkansas City. The Tigers won the first game 5-2 before completing the sweep with a 10-1 win of the nightcap.

Cowley is now 38-11 overall and 28-6 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division. The Tigers lead Johnson County (22-6 Jayhawk East) by three games in the conference standings. Cowley has only one conference doubleheader remaining, this Saturday at Independence, while Johnson County has four more conference doubleheaders to play.

The Tigers can clinch at least a share of its third straight Jayhawk East title with a sweep of Saturday’s doubleheader at Independence.

“We can’t rely on anybody else, we are glad the opportunity is in our own hands,” Cowley assistant coach Darren Burroughs said.

During the Tigers’ winning streak, they have outscored their opponents by a score of 63-13. Tiger pitchers have held their opponents to three runs or fewer in 12 of the past 13 games and 16 of the past 18.

On Thursday, Stephen Kohlscheen and Alex Schell continued the Tigers string of solid outings from its starting pitchers.

“Our pitchers have done a good job of throwing strikes and working ahead in the count, and our defense has played really well behind them,” Burroughs said. “Those guys on the mound are giving us a really good opportunity to win.”

In game one, Kohlscheen went five innings, allowing five hits and two runs as he improved to 7-1 on the season. Alex Schell tossed his third complete game of the season in game two. Schell (5-2) allowed only five hits and one run, while striking out seven and walking two.

In the opener, Fort Scott scored a pair of runs in the top of the second inning to grab an early 2-0 lead. However, Cowley got the runs back in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a run scoring double by Frank Specht and a RBI single by Ryan Hege.

The Tigers grabbed the lead in the fourth inning when Tyler Hancock singled home Andy Petz and Luke Zeller with the go-ahead runs. Ronald Melendez singled home Hancock with the final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Freshman Trevor Rosenthal relieved Kohlscheen on the mound and tossed two scoreless innings of relief. Rosenthal allowed only one hit, while striking out four as he earned his fifth save of the season. Rosenthal has allowed only one hit in his last four innings of relief, and has struck out seven of the past 13 batters he has faced.

In the second game, Cowley scored four runs in the second inning and four more in the third as they were in control throughout. Four players had two hits a piece as the Tigers finished with 12 hits in the game.

Hancock had a double and triple in the nightcap as he finished 3-for-6 with three RBI in the doubleheader.
“He is really starting to make strides at the plate,” Burroughs said.

Chance Ross went 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs batted in, while Zeller and B.J. Misialek chipped in two hits apiece.

Saturday’s doubleheader at Independence will begin at 2 p.m.