Tigers remain atop conference standings with statement wins over Kansas City

Entering Saturday's home doubleheader against Kansas City Kansas Community College with a slim, one-game conference lead over the Blue Devils, the No. 10-ranked Cowley College baseball team dominated both games by scores of 12-2 and 12-4 to win three of four games in the series.

Cowley (34-8) remains two games in front of second place Johnson County in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division standings with a conference record of 21-3, while Kansas City (34-13) falls three games back in the conference with a record of 20-8.

"Our guys played a really good doubleheader. It was a team effort," Cowley head coach Dave Burroughs said.

Cowley scored three runs in the first inning of game one and never looked back with Parker Dunn's two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning ending the 12-2 run-rule win.

Tiger freshman Cade Stephens went 3-for-3 with four RBIs and George Specht went 3-for-3 with four runs scored.

Sophomore Brannon Jordan pitched well and allowed only three hits and two runs in five innings. Jordan struck out five and walked one to improve his record to 4-2 on the season.

Kansas City's Osvaldo Mendez (6-2) took the loss by allowing eight hits and six runs in 3 1/3 innings.

In game two, Stephens again had three hits and drove in four runs. The designated hitter belted a three-run triple in a seven-run second inning as the Tigers led 9-0 after two innings of play and cruised to the 12-4 win.

Specht would add three more hits in game two and Tyler Halstead hit his fourth home run of the season in the win.

Sophomore Cole Larsen (7-1) picked up his second win of the week as he allowed only one hit and one run in 4 1/3 innings, while Tiger relievers Austin Neal, Hunter O'Toole, Miguel Obeso, Jared Wilson, and Ryan Westerhoff closed out the victory.

Kansas City starting pitcher Victor Gotay (2-3) lasted only one inning and was tagged with the loss.

Cowley will host the Tabor College JV in nine-inning game Tuesday at 3 p.m. before opening a series against second place Johnson County by hosting the No. 11-ranked Cavaliers in a doubleheader Thursday at 1 p.m.

Score by inning:

Game one R H E
Kansas City 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 1
Cowley 3 0 1 5 3 12 11 1

Game two R H E
Kansas City 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 4 8 2
Cowley 2 7 0 1 0 2 0 0 x 12 15 2