Tiger baseball team opens season by taking two of three at Grayson College

Despite losing its opening game and trailing Grayson College (TX) 9-2 in the final game of the three-game series, the No. 7-ranked Cowley College baseball team rallied to win the last two games of the season-opening series played Friday and Saturday in Sherman, TX.

"It was good to win a couple of games, but we also showed we have a lot to get better at," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said.

After being held to just one run in a 6-1 loss in Friday's opener, the Tigers came back from a 5-2 deficit in game two to win 9-5. Cowley would then rally from seven runs down in the finale to take the series with a 14-11 win.

In the 6-1 loss of game one, Cowley managed only three hits and a run-scoring double by sophomore Haden O'Toole in the top of the seventh inning to avoid the shutout. Chance Condit (0-1) allowed two hits and two runs in two innings pitched as he was saddled with the loss.

In game two, Cowley found themselves trailing 5-2 after four innings of play. However, pitchers Andrew Talburt, Drew Duckhorn (1-0), and Carlton Perkins combined for five scoreless innings of relief as the Tigers rallied for the 9-5 win.

Cowley finished with nine hits and also benefitted from nine walks. Ty Hammack, Trayson Miller, and first baseman Luke Shannahan had two hits apiece, while Logan Vaughan doubled and drove in three.

In the finale, Grayson would score nine runs in the first three innings and looked to be in control as they built a 9-2 lead. But, the Tigers would pull within 11-8 heading into the final inning of play. In the top of the ninth inning, Cowley would score six runs on only three hits, as there were also three walks and an error in the inning.

The big blows in the inning came when pinch hitter Eaden Holt hit a two-run single to tie the game at 11-11, Cole Martin doubled home the go-ahead run, and Cooper Schwindt tripled home two more insurance runs.

Cole Abbott (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings of relief to earn the win.

"Cole and Drew threw really good," Burroughs said. "Grayson has a good club, and I thought our guys had some good at-bats and improved as the weekend went along."

The teams combined for 10 errors in the finale, six of which were committed by the Tigers. However, Cowley took advantage of 13 walks by Grayson pitching.

Cowley will now prepare to play three more games in Waco, Texas, when they face McClennan Community College for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. Friday and a single nine-inning game played Saturday at 1 p.m.

"We like to put our guys against good competition early in the season, so we see what we need to get better at," Burroughs said.

Score by inning:

Game one                     R H E

Cowley   0 0 0 0 0 0 1 – 1 3 3

Grayson 2 0 3 1 0 0 x – 6 5 0

Game two                           R H E

Grayson 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 – 5 8 0

Cowley   1 1 0 0 3 0 0 4 x – 9 9 0

Game three                           R H E

Cowley   2 0 0 1 1 2 2 0 6 – 14 12 6

Grayson 5 2 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 – 11 6 4