Tiger baseball team splits final two games against Coffeyville

After winning the first two games of a four-game series against Coffeyville on Thursday, the Cowley College baseball team and the Red Ravens met up again Saturday in Arkansas City to wrap up the team's four-game series. Cowley won Saturday's opener 4-2 before dropping the final game 6-4 as they opened conference play by winning three of the four games in the series.

"I am a little disappointed we did not win all four games, but tip your hat to Coffeyville for doing enough to win that last game," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said.

Cowley (11-7) got a strong pitching effort from sophomore Luke Singleton (2-1) in Saturday's opener as he pitched into the fifth inning and allowed only four hits and two runs in 4 2/3 innings pitched.

The Tigers got a two-run double from freshman Jarrett Flaggert in a four-run fourth inning, and Cowley made the lead stand up as freshman Delton Roberts followed Singleton on the mound with 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Cowley managed only five hits in the win but benefited from five walks by Coffeyville starting pitcher Ryan Leiker (1-1).

In Saturday's finale, Cowley starting pitcher Mitchell Johnson did not allow a run in three innings pitched but was relieved by Ryuji Fukuda after walking four batters and striking out six.

Fukuda also struggled with his control, allowing two walks and two runs, one of which scored on a wild pitch as Coffeyville went in front 2-1.

Cowley would go back in front by a score of 3-2 after a run-scoring triple by Dawson Williams and an RBI single by Jadyn McNeal in the sixth inning.

However, the Red Ravens would score three runs off three Tiger relievers in the seventh inning, and the teams traded runs in the eighth as Coffeyville held on for the 6-4 win.

Cowley sophomore Brett McComas (0-1) took the loss, while Bryson Martin (1-0), the third of six pitchers used by Coffeyville, earned the win. The Red Ravens are now 7-10 on the season.

The Tigers out-hit Coffeyville 10-7 but walked seven batters in the defeat.

"It is hard to overcome free bases," Burroughs said. "We walked too many and left too many on base."

McNealy went 3-for-5 with two runs scored in the loss, while Hunter Alvord doubled twice and scored a run.

Cowley will now prepare to play a doubleheader at Jayhawk West leading Hutchinson. The Blue Dragons are 16-4 overall and 4-0 in the Jayhawk West.

"Hutchinson will provide us with another challenge," Burroughs said. "They have been scoring a lot of runs, so we will need to pitch it well and get some timely hitting."

Saturday's games were initially supposed to be played in Coffeyville. Thus, Cowley is shown as the visiting team in the line score.

Score by inning:

Game one                         R H E

Cowley      0 0 0 4 0 0 0 – 4 5 1

Coffeyville 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 2 4 0

Game two                               R H E

Cowley      0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 – 4 10 2

Coffeyville 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 1 x – 6 7 1