Tiger pitching dominates in a doubleheader sweep of Fort Scott

The No. 15-ranked Cowley College baseball team got a pair of solid pitching performances in a doubleheader sweep of Fort Scott Community College on Thursday in Arkansas City. The Tigers slipped past the Greyhounds 3-2 in 10 innings in game one and then won the nightcap by a score of 2-1.

Cowley (32-13) remains tied for first place with Johnson County in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division with a record of 20-2. Fort Scott (35-11) falls to 15-7 in conference play.

"It was a tough day to hit," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said. "It was two really good games. We did just a few more things better than they did."

In Thursday's opener, Cowley got another strong start from freshman Iziah Salinas, who ran his scoreless streak to 19 2/3 innings before allowing a game-tying two-run double to Fort Scott's Josh Polubinski in the top of the fifth inning.

Salinas would leave the game after completing five innings on the mound. The right-hander struck out nine and allowed just two hits but walked five.

Tiger relievers Delton Roberts, Barrett Morgan, and Tallen Bagwell (2-1) followed with five scoreless innings of relief as the game remained tied until the bottom of the 10^th inning. With runners at second and third and two outs, Cowley freshman Alex Conover singled home Jadyn McNealy with the game-winning run.

Gavin Brummond went the first six innings on the mound for Fort Scott, and Wyatt Foley tossed the next 3 2/3 innings.

Cade Baldridge and Cole Martin had two hits apiece as Cowley out-hit Fort Scott 8-5.

In game two, the teams traded runs early on before Cowley took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Seth Dandridge.

Tiger starting pitcher Cody Airington (5-2) allowed only two hits and one run in six innings pitched before giving way to Cade Perkins, who tossed a 1-2-3 seventh inning to finish off the 2-1 victory.

"Cody continues to get better each time out," Burroughs said. "He is starting to pitch with confidence. Cade has also been throwing extremely well and has embraced his role."

Fort Scott's Isaak Crittenden took the loss as he allowed six hits and two runs in six innings of work.

The teams will wrap up its four-game series when they play a doubleheader at Fort Scott on Saturday at 1 p.m.

"Fort Scott has got a good club, so we anticipate another tough doubleheader," Burroughs said. "It will likely come down to who is better on the mound."

Score by inning:

Game one                                 R H E

Fort Scott 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 – 2 5 1

Cowley     0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 – 3 8 0

Game two                        R H E

Fort Scott 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 – 1 2 0

Cowley     0 0 1 0 0 1 x – 2 6 1