May 11, 2009

Tigers fall to Seward County 6-2

A day after getting a complete game from its starting pitcher in a 7-1 win over Fort Scott, the No. 15-ranked Cowley College baseball team had its starter chased from the game in the third inning in a 6-2 loss to Seward County Sunday night at Wichita’s Lawrence Dumont Stadium.

The Tigers will face Barton County (31-23) in an elimination game Monday at 1 p.m. The winner will play later that evening at 7 p.m. Seward County will face Colby Monday at 4 p.m. with the winner of that game advancing to the championship.

On Sunday, Saints’ starting pitcher Corey Collins (9-3) kept the Tiger hitters in check as he allowed only six hits and two unearned runs in 8 2/3 innings. Collins struck out three and walked two.

Stephen Kohlscheen (8-2), one of the Tigers best pitchers this season, lasted only 2 1/3 innings on the mound. Kohlscheen was relieved by Calvin Drinnen after surrendering a four-pitch walk to Quay Grant, which scored Travis Parker from third and put Seward County ahead 3-0 in the top of the third inning.

After getting Kelby Tomlinson to foul out to the catcher for the second out of the inning, Drinnen walked Todd Glime to force in another run. Drinnen struck out Jared Broadbent to end the inning but not before the Saints scored three runs on three walks and two hits.

Kohlscheen allowed five hits and four runs, while striking out two and walking three.

Cowley put runners at second and third with nobody out in the bottom of the third as Chance Ross singled and B.J. Misialek followed with a high-chopper that bounced over the first baseman’s head. However, Caleb Bass flied out, Colt Loehrs lined out to third and Ryan Hege hit a sinking liner that Saints’ centerfielder Keegan Morrow made a diving catch on to end the inning.

The Tigers got on the board in the fourth inning as first baseman Tyler Hancock drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a pair of groundouts, and scored on a wild pitch by Saints’ starter Corey Collins.
Seward County got the run back in the top of the fifth inning thanks to a pair of hits and an error to lead 5-1. Cowley put the leadoff batters on base in four of the first six innings but managed just one run.

Drinnen kept the Tigers within striking distance as he allowed only two runs in 5 2/3 innings pitched. Drinnen allowed five hits and two walks, while striking out five.

Michael Flanagin relieved Drinnen on the mound with runners at first and second and two outs in the top of the eighth inning. Flanagin promptly hit back-to-back batters to force in a run and make the score 6-1.

Qiunton Bane, who had pitched only eight innings all season, came in and got pinch hitter Trent Martinez to ground into a force out at second base to end the inning. Bane remained in the game and pitched a scoreless ninth.

Cowley would add an unearned run in the ninth inning but it was not enough. The Saints’ Travis Parker recorded the final out to preserve the win.

In other Region VI Tournament contests, Fort Scott eliminated Hutchinson from the tourney by a score of 3-2 and Barton County sent Johnson County packing with a 8-3 win. In the only other tourney game on Sunday, Colby defeated Garden City 6-4.