Tiger baseball team rallies to avoid costly losses to Neosho County

Two days after scoring 23 runs in a pair of wins over Neosho County, the No. 9-ranked Cowley College baseball team faced the Panthers in Chanute on Saturday. This time, Neosho held the Tigers to one run in a 3-1 victory of Saturday's first game, and the Panthers led Cowley 8-2 in the eighth inning of game two before the Tigers rallied to win 13-8 in 10 innings.

Cowley is now 16-4 but two games behind conference-leading Johnson County (8-0) with a record of 6-2 in the Jayhawk Conference.

In Saturday's first game, Neosho got a complete game victory from starting pitcher Jaret Myers (3-0) as he limited Cowley to seven hits and one run. Myers struck out five and did not walk a batter as he helped snap the Tigers' six-game win streak.

Kade Sheldon drove in Cowley's lone run, while Ian Luce, Dax McCaskill, and Seth Dandridge had two hits apiece.

Tiger starting pitcher Tallen Bagwell allowed only three runs in five innings but took the loss. Bagwell struck out six and walked one, as he is now 3-1 on the season.

It appeared Cowley would get swept in Saturday's doubleheader as Neosho raced out to a 4-0 lead and led 8-2 heading into the top of the eighth inning.

Maverick Williamson gave the Panthers another strong start on the mound, allowing only five hits and one run in six innings pitched. However, with Williamson out of the game, the Tigers pounced on Neosho's relief pitchers as they scored five runs in the eighth inning and one in the ninth to send the game into extra innings tied at 8-8.

The Tigers would score five runs in the top of the 10^th inning thanks to three hits, four walks, and an error. Freshman Drake Fittro's two-run single was the big blow in the inning.

Dawson Williams and Quinn Groebl had three hits apiece for Cowley as they out-hit Neosho 13-8.

"We did not swing the bats well in the first game and finally woke up late in the second game," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said.

Cowley starting pitcher Keegan Robertson allowed four runs in 3 1/3 innings and received a no-decision. Chance Acord, the Tigers' sixth pitcher used in game two, did not allow a hit in 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief as he improved to 2-0.

The Tigers won despite committing six errors in the nightcap.

Neosho County is now 9-6 overall and 3-5 in the conference.

On Thursday, Cowley will open a four-game series at the two-time defending conference champion Johnson County Cavaliers (21-6). Johnson County is ranked eighth in the latest poll. Following Thursday's doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m., the teams will play two games in Arkansas City on Saturday at 1 p.m.

"These games are important in the conference race," Burroughs said. "We will need to match the intensity of the series and play a complete game."

Score by inning:

Game one                    R H E

Cowley 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 – 1 7 0

Neosho 1 0 2 0 0 0 x – 3 7 0

Game two                              R H E

Cowley 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 5 1 5 – 13 13 6

Neosho 1 3 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 – 8 8 4