Tiger baseball team scores 51 runs in season-opening pair of victories

The No. 9-ranked Cowley College baseball team opened its season with a bang as they picked up a pair of dominating run-rule wins over Northern Oklahoma College-Enid and Northeastern Oklahoma Monday in Edmond, OK. The Tigers had 15 straight hits and scored 23 runs in the second inning of a 31-4 five-inning win over NOC before needing only seven innings to defeat NEO 20-9.

Cowley hit eight home runs and had 24 extra base hits in the pair of victories.

"Our guys stuck with their plan at the plate and the offensive results were good," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said. "I was pleased with how the guys went about things."

Cowley used 14 pitchers in the two games, with nobody tossing more than one inning.

Cole Miller (1-0) started the opener and allowed only one hit in his one inning of work. J'Briell Easley, Logan Kimbro, and Cameron Allen followed with scoreless innings of relief before the Jets got to Garrett VanDeventer for four runs in the top of the fifth.

Cowley hit four homers and had 13 extra base hits in the 31-4 win.

Catcher Gus Freeman homered and went 3-for-3 with six RBIs, while shortstop David Herring homered and drove in five. Left fielder Janson Reeder and Joel Benes also homered in the win and combined to drive in seven runs.

The Tigers hit four more homers in game two and pounded out an additional 11 extra base hits. First baseman Michelle Artzberger, who went 4-for-4 with four RBIs in the opener, went 3-for-5 with a grand slam home run and two doubles in game two.

Janson Reeder homered for the second straight game and drove in four, while right fielder Felix Chenier-Rondeau hit a pair of home runs to go along with four RBIs.

With the Tigers trailing 4-1 after two innings of play, Artzberger's grand slam put Cowley in front 5-4.

"He came up in a big situation and struck the ball really well out to centerfield," Burroughs said. "That home run kind of jump started us."

Chenier Rondeau would add a three-run homer and Reeder hit a two-run bomb to cap a nine-run third inning for the Tigers.

Christian Johnson started on the mound for the Tigers in game two and allowed one unearned run in one inning of work. Miguel Fulgencio (1-0) tossed a scoreless bottom of the third inning to earn the win.

The Tigers would tack on five runs in the fourth inning and never looked back in the 20-9 victory.

Nine Cowley pitchers combined to allow only four hits in the nightcap, but walked 14 batters in the seven-inning game.

"Some guys need to learn to trust their stuff and throw strikes," Burroughs said.

Cowley will return home to face Butler in a doubleheader Thursday beginning at 1 p.m. The Grizzlies are 1-1 on the season.

"We hope to continue to improve and work to fix our mistakes," Burroughs said.

Score by inning:

Game one                   R H E

NOC    0 0 0 0 4       - 4 7 0

Cowley 5 (23) 2 1 x – 31 23 0

Game two                     R H E

Cowley 1 0 9 5 0 2 3 – 20 15 3

NEO    1 3 0 1 0 3 1 – 9 4 0