Tigers sweep conference opener
The No. 14-ranked Cowley College baseball team used solid pitching and a big inning in each game of its doubleheader against Highland as they swept its first two games of conference play Thursday in Arkansas City.
The Tigers got a three-hit shutout from sophomore Seth Holman in a 10-0, five-inning run-rule win of game one. Cowley then used a five-run sixth inning in game two to win 11-4.
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With the wins, Cowley is now 6-3 overall and 2-0 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division. Highland falls to 5-5 overall and 0-2 in the Jayhawk East.
"Our pitching was pretty good and we had guys have good days at the plate," Cowley assistant coach Darren Burroughs said.
Holman (1-0), who has made the move from the bullpen to the starting rotation, struck out seven and walked none. He has not allowed a run in 11 innings since taking over as a starter.
"Seth is very talented and knows how to pitch," Burroughs said. "He throws strikes, which makes it fun to play behind."
Leading 1-0 after three innings of play, Cowley batted around in the fourth inning. The Tigers used seven hits to score six times in the fourth.
Cowley added a two-run double by freshman first baseman Bobby Bassler in the fifth and Bassler came around to score the final run of the game on an error on a ball hit by A.J. Shaw.
Freshman second baseman Butch Rea went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in, while freshman catcher Gage Grant went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Bassler added two RBIs and two run scored in the victory.
Jarrod Byous took the loss for Highland as he allowed 10 hits and seven runs in four innings.
Batting in the top-two spots of the Tigers' lineup, A.J. Shaw and Butch Rea combined to go 5-for-10 with four runs scored and six RBIs in game two as the duo drove in three runs a piece.
Grant and Rea had the Tigers' only two hits in a five-run sixth inning as Cowley took advantage of three walks and an error in the inning.
Freshman lefthander Parker Rigler (1-0) went the first four innings on the mound and allowed one earned run, while Austin Sanders followed with five innings of relief. Sanders struck out four and walked none as he was charged with one earned run.
The Scotties' Taylor Hendrick allowed six hits and seven runs in five innings pitched as he was saddled with the loss.
The teams will wrap up the four-game series by playing a doubleheader in Arkansas City Friday at 1 p.m.
Score by inning:
Game one R H E
Highland 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 3 3
Cowley 0 1 0 6 3 - 10 11 0
Game two R H E
Highland 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 - 4 8 2
Cowley 1 1 0 0 2 5 0 2 x - 11 10 3