Ninth inning rally lifts Tigers to 9-7 win at Butler

Having hit only 14 home runs all season, the Cowley College baseball team has found a formula of winning with pitching and timely hitting. However, Tuesday at McDonald Stadium in El Dorado, KS, the Tigers belted a pair of two-run homers in a six-run ninth inning as they came back to defeat Butler Community College 9-7.

The victory, Cowley's 10^th in a row, improves the Tigers' record to 24-11.  The win also avenges an earlier loss to Butler on March 14.

"We have been playing good enough to win," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said. "It was good we fought back, but I thought we wasted some opportunities early in the game."

Butler scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie and lead 5-3 heading into the final inning of play. However, the Tigers' Cole Martin drew a one-out walk off Butler reliever Blake Werry and Cooper Schwindt followed with a game-tying two-run homer. Werry then walked Logan Vaughan before being replaced by Garrett Fager, who promptly surrendered a two-run homer to Trayson Miller to put Cowley in front 7-5.

The Tigers would tack on two more runs in the six-run ninth to lead 9-5.

Butler would make things interesting in the bottom of the ninth by scoring a pair of runs and had the tying run at the plate before Tanner Vaughn got Brock Toothaker to fly out to centerfield to end the game.

The teams combined to use 15 pitchers and walk a total of 15 batters in a typical high-scoring mid-week game.

Freshman Andrew Talbert started on the mound for Cowley and did not allow a run, while scattering three hits to go along with four strikeouts and no walks in his three innings pitched.

"That was much needed for us and for Andrew," Burroughs said. "He competed well. I am proud of him."

Tiger leadoff batter Ty Hammack got the scoring stared in the top of the first inning by doubling and coming around to score on a two-out single by Schwindt.

Zach Murkin started on the mound for Butler but lasted only one inning.

Luke Singleton followed Talbert on the mound and struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Cowley would strand runners at second and third in the top of the fifth inning and the Grizzlies would make them pay by scoring three runs on three hits and an errant pickoff throw by Singleton in the bottom half.

The Tigers would put runners at second and third again in the sixth, this time Keaton Campbell came through with a two-run double off a diving leftfielder's glove to tie the game at 3-3.

Then came the late-inning dramatics as Butler fell to 23-15 on the season.

Schwindt was one of five Tigers to finish with two hits apiece as he went 2-for-5 with three runs batted in.

"Cooper has been comfortable at the plate and is hitting with confidence now," Burroughs said.

The Tigers will remain on the road to play a doubleheader at Hutchinson Community College (19-19) Thursday at 1 p.m. before hosting the Blue Dragons in a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.

"When you play Hutchinson you know it will be a dog fight, so we will need to play well to win," Burroughs said.

Score by inning:                 R H E

Cowley 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 6 – 9 11 1

Butler   0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 2 – 7 10 0