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By RAMA PEROO
Cowley College

Following a split of a doubleheader at Allen County on Friday, the No. 10-ranked Cowley College baseball team returned home to sweep a pair of games against Coffeyville on Thursday.

"The guys are improving every day," Cowley assistant coach Darren Burroughs said.

On Friday, the Tigers rallied from a 3-0 deficit in their final at bat. Cowley got a two-run single from Luke Zeller and a sacrifice fly RBI from Tom O'Gorman to tie the game at 3-3.

The game would remain tied until the bottom of the ninth inning. Calvin Drinnen relieved John Maler on the mound in the seventh inning and pitched out of a jam in the eighth. However, he walked Jeremy Filer to lead off the ninth and then wild pitched him to second.

Michael Flanagin relieved Drinnen (2-2) with one out in the ninth and walked Travis Ice to put runners at first and second. A balk allowed the runners to move to second and third, and a wild pitch to Cody Cobb allowed Filer to score the winning run.

Maler allowed just two hits and three runs in six innings pitched. Drinnen (2-2) took the loss as he did not allow a hit in 2 1/3 innings of relief, but walked three.

Chase Roten went 3-for-4 with a run scored, while John Chaisson went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored in the defeat.

In game two, Cowley scored three runs on three Red Devil errors in the first inning, and never trailed in a 7-2 win. Tyson Parks and Carney each had three hits in the victory. Connor Farris (1-2) earned the win as he allowed seven hits and two runs in five innings pitched.

Zack Potter relieved Farris on the mound and pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, while Stephen Kohlscheen came in to record the final two outs.

On Thursday, Cowley got a strong pitching performance from Curt Simpson in an 8-1 win over Coffeyville in the opener. The Tigers also got a pair of home runs from freshman Heath Wall in the win.

Simpson (2-0) allowed just two hits and one run in five innings pitched. Wall went 3-for-3 with two home runs and three runs batted in, while Chaisson went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

"Heath has been swinging the bat pretty well, and Chaisson is starting to feel his swing again," Burroughs said.

Cowley completed the sweep by pounding out 16 hits in a 14-4 six-inning win of game two. Seven Tigers had at least two hits in the win, while Zeller went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI's.

The Tigers trailed 4-3 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. However, Cowley scored nine runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth to run-rule the Red Ravens.

Chase Roten allowed four runs in 3 2/3 innings but did not factor in the decision. Chris O'Brien (1-0) pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win.

Cowley is now 12-10 overall and 10-2 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division.