No-hitter, ninth inning rally lift Tigers to wins at Johnson County
April 29, 2019
It was a magical weekend for the No. 8-ranked Cowley College baseball team. The Tigers started with a no-hitter from sophomore Brannon Jordan in a 2-0 win over Johnson County and then scored five runs with two outs in the ninth inning of game two to rally for an 8-7 win Saturday in Overland Park. The victories broke a tie for first place between the teams and gives Cowley a two-game lead in the conference with four games remaining.
Cowley is now 36-10 overall and 23-5 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division, while Johnson County (40-9) falls to 21-7 in the conference.
Cowley made the most of its two hits in game one as they scored each inning they had a hit. Cody Milligan singled to load the bases in the top of the third inning and Logan Steenstra came around to score the game's first run when Parker Dunn walked to force in a run.
Then in the seventh inning, George Specht led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on an error by catcher Noah Cook and scored on a ground out by Daniel DeSimone.
Looking to finish off the no-hitter, Jordan (6-2) got Noah Cook to ground out to second base to end the game. Jordan struck out seven and walked three as he improved his record to 6-2 on the season.
"B.J. (Brannon Jordan) was outstanding and set the tone for the day," Cowley head coach Dave Burroughs said. "To do what he did against a really good club was phenomenal."
Johnson County's Trey Ziegenbein took the loss as he allowed two hits and two runs in seven innings.
Cowley led game two by a score of 3-1 after six innings of play before the Cavaliers scored four runs in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth to lead 7-3.
Cole Larsen started on the mound for Cowley and allowed six hits and five runs in 6 1/3 innings. Blake Shannon's grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning chased Larsen from the game.
Johnson County pitcher Paul Rector would retire the first two batters in the ninth inning before the Tigers pulled off the improbable comeback. Specht walked, Cade Stephens was then hit by a pitch, Tristan Diaz had a run scoring double and was followed by a two-run single by Kros Bay to pull Cowley within 7-6.
Corbin Lill then tripled home pinch runner Cade Gonzales to tie the game at 7-7 and came around to score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.
Four Tiger relievers held Johnson County scoreless over the final 2 2/3 innings with Ethan Swanson (1-0) getting Anthony Amicangelo to line out to centerfield to finish off the 8-7 win.
"I have been a part of some big comebacks and that one was one of the biggest," Burroughs said. "I can't say enough about our guys to come back and do that on the road in a must win situation."
Lill went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Specht added two hits and two runs scored as Cowley out-hit Johnson County 12-9.
Rector took the loss as he allowed six hits and four runs in 3 2/3 innings of relief.
Cowley's game at Cloud County on Tuesday has been cancelled. The Tigers will wrap up the regular season by playing four games against Neosho County (30-22) starting with a doubleheader Thursday at 1 p.m. in Chanute, KS.
"Neosho will be a tall order as well," Burroughs said. "We have had some good battles with them through the years."
Score by inning:
Game one R H E
Cowley 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 2 1
Johnson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Game two R H E
Cowley 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 5 8 12 1
Johnson 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 7 9 2
Cowley is now 36-10 overall and 23-5 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division, while Johnson County (40-9) falls to 21-7 in the conference.
Cowley made the most of its two hits in game one as they scored each inning they had a hit. Cody Milligan singled to load the bases in the top of the third inning and Logan Steenstra came around to score the game's first run when Parker Dunn walked to force in a run.
Then in the seventh inning, George Specht led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on an error by catcher Noah Cook and scored on a ground out by Daniel DeSimone.
Looking to finish off the no-hitter, Jordan (6-2) got Noah Cook to ground out to second base to end the game. Jordan struck out seven and walked three as he improved his record to 6-2 on the season.
"B.J. (Brannon Jordan) was outstanding and set the tone for the day," Cowley head coach Dave Burroughs said. "To do what he did against a really good club was phenomenal."
Johnson County's Trey Ziegenbein took the loss as he allowed two hits and two runs in seven innings.
Cowley led game two by a score of 3-1 after six innings of play before the Cavaliers scored four runs in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth to lead 7-3.
Cole Larsen started on the mound for Cowley and allowed six hits and five runs in 6 1/3 innings. Blake Shannon's grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning chased Larsen from the game.
Johnson County pitcher Paul Rector would retire the first two batters in the ninth inning before the Tigers pulled off the improbable comeback. Specht walked, Cade Stephens was then hit by a pitch, Tristan Diaz had a run scoring double and was followed by a two-run single by Kros Bay to pull Cowley within 7-6.
Corbin Lill then tripled home pinch runner Cade Gonzales to tie the game at 7-7 and came around to score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.
Four Tiger relievers held Johnson County scoreless over the final 2 2/3 innings with Ethan Swanson (1-0) getting Anthony Amicangelo to line out to centerfield to finish off the 8-7 win.
"I have been a part of some big comebacks and that one was one of the biggest," Burroughs said. "I can't say enough about our guys to come back and do that on the road in a must win situation."
Lill went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Specht added two hits and two runs scored as Cowley out-hit Johnson County 12-9.
Rector took the loss as he allowed six hits and four runs in 3 2/3 innings of relief.
Cowley's game at Cloud County on Tuesday has been cancelled. The Tigers will wrap up the regular season by playing four games against Neosho County (30-22) starting with a doubleheader Thursday at 1 p.m. in Chanute, KS.
"Neosho will be a tall order as well," Burroughs said. "We have had some good battles with them through the years."
Score by inning:
Game one R H E
Cowley 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 2 1
Johnson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Game two R H E
Cowley 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 5 8 12 1
Johnson 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 7 9 2