No. 12-ranked Tiger baseball team opens conference play with four-game sweep

Running its winning streak to eight games in a row, the No. 12-ranked Cowley College baseball team opened conference play with a four-game sweep of Highland Community College. The Tigers won a doubleheader in Arkansas City on Friday by scores of 7-0 and 21-11, before winning the final two games of the series at Highland on Saturday by scores of 7-3 and 18-14.

Cowley is now 13-2 overall and 4-0 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division. Highland falls to 1-6 overall and 0-4 in the Jayhawk East.

In game one, three Tiger pitchers combined on the team's second shutout of the season. J'Briell Easley (2-0) has started both of Cowley's shutouts as the freshman from Shawnee, OK struck out seven and allowed only two hits in his four innings of work.

"J'Briell continues to improve and is learning how to repeat his delivery," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said. "

Cole Miller followed by retiring all six batters he faced to go along with three strikeouts, and Jerome Tylicki retired the side in order in the seventh to complete the shutout.

Blake Robertson and David Herring each had two hits and two runs batted in for the Tigers.

In game two, Cowley overcame an early 6-1 deficit to run-rule Highland 21-11 in eight innings. First baseman Michelle Artzberger and right fielder Elijah Wohl each had four hits, including two doubles and a triple, to go along with a combined nine runs batted in.

Artzberger is now batting .518 with 30 runs batted in.

"Michelle has got a good idea of what he is trying to do at the plate and is locked in right now," Burroughs said. "It was also good to see Eli have some good swings."

With the series shifted to Highland on Saturday, Cowley got a solid start on the mound from freshman Grant Adler, who allowed only two hits and two runs in 4 2/3 innings. Miguel Fulgencio (2-0) relieved Adler on the mound and allowed only one hit in 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Artzberger and Joel Benes had RBI singles for the Tigers in a four-run fifth inning and Cowley would tack on two more runs in the seventh to win 7-3.

 Cowley trailed the final game of the series by scores of 7-4, 11-10, and 14-12 before scoring six runs in the top of the ninth inning to win 18-14.

"We showed a lot of resilience and toughness to come back from those deficits," Burroughs said.

After a sacrifice fly by Felix Chenier-Rondeau scored Andrew Williams to cut the Tigers' deficit to 14-13, Cowley benefited from a walk and two hit batters to force in the tying run. Blake Robertson followed with a grand slam to lift Cowley to the 18-14 victory.

Robertson finished 4-for-5 with six runs batted in and now has three home runs and 29 RBI on the season.

"Blake had a rough day defensively, so it was good to see him come back and make an impact with his bat," Burroughs said.

Isaac Stebens (1-0) allowed an unearned run in 1 1/3 innings of relief as he earned his first win of the season.

Batting out of the leadoff spot, Bryce Madron went 3-for-5 with four runs scored and three RBI as he raised his average to .415.

One area of concern was Cowley committing 12 errors in the four-game series.

"There are things we need to continue to work on," Burroughs said. "The good thing is it is all fixable."

The Tigers' game at Seminole State College on Tuesday has been cancelled. Instead, Cowley will play a doubleheader at Kansas City Kansas Community College on Wednesday beginning at 1 p.m. The Blue Devils are 5-3 on the season.

Score by inning:

Game one                      R H E

Highland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 2 3

Cowley    3 2 2 0 0 0 x – 7 6 4

Game two                            R H E

Highland 3 3 0 0 3 0 0 2 – 11 12 3

Cowley    1 7 0 1 6 0 0 6 – 21 18 1

Game three                    R H E

Cowley    0 1 0 0 4 0 2 – 7 6 2

Highland 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 – 3 3 1

Game four                              R H E

Cowley    4 0 0 1 5 0 0 2 6 – 18 15 5

Highland 3 3 1 0 0 1 3 3 0 – 14 14 0