Tiger baseball team has win streak come to an end in split at Hutchinson

Playing at Hutchinson Community College on Thursday, the Cowley College baseball team and the Blue Dragons combined for 15 home runs in the doubleheader played at Hobart-Detter Field. The Tigers got a two-run homer from sophomore Ty Hammack in the top of the seventh inning of game one to win 7-5. However, Hutchinson hit five home runs in game two to win 18-12 and snap Cowley's win streak at 11 games.

"That ball park is a tough place to pitch," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said. "We battled at the plate, but could not slow them down offensively. I didn't think we matched their toughness."

Cowley is now 25-12 on the season, while Hutchinson is 20-20.

In game one, Ty Hammack and Cooper Schwindt continued to have solid at bats as Hammack singled leading off the game and came around to score on a bases loaded walk drawn by Schwindt. The Tigers would score a second run in the inning but stranded the bases loaded.

It did not take long for Hutchinson to get the runs back as two of the first four batters in the Blue Dragon lineup homered to tie the game at 2-2.

In the bottom of the second inning, Jack Gardner hit the Blue Dragons' third solo home run of the game to give Hutchinson a 3-2 lead.

Cowley would go back on top in the top of the third inning when Keaton Campbell doubled home Schwindt with the tying run and Luke Shannahan singled home Campbell to put the Tigers ahead 4-3.

Campbell would add a solo home run in the top of the fifth to increase Cowley's lead to 5-3. However, the fourth solo home run of the game for Hutchinson and second of the contest for Colin Cymbalista pulled the Blue Dragons within 5-4. Two batters later, Cody Gunderson hit a run-scoring double to tie the game at 5-5 and chase Chance Cox from the game.

Cowley would then get the two-run homer from Hammack in the top of the seventh to lead 7-5.

Cole Abbott (3-0) would allow a solo home run, the second of the game for Gunderson, with two outs in the bottom of the seventh before getting Ryan Henderson to ground out to end the game.

Hammack finished 3-for-5 with his ninth home run of the season and two runs batted in.

Hutchinson used five pitchers in the opener as Brady Beverman took the loss.

Cymbalista would continue to swing a hot bat in game two as he homered three times and drove in eight runs out of the leadoff spot as Hutchinson out-slugged the Tigers 18-12.

Cymbalista hit five home runs in the doubleheader after entering the games with only four homers on the season.

Hutchinson hit five home runs and pounded out 18 hits off six Tiger pitchers. Cade Perkins (3-3) started on the mound for Cowley and allowed eight runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Cowley got home runs from Hammack, his 10^th of the season, Logan Vaughan, and Trayson Miller. Hammack and Campbell had three hits apiece as the Tigers finished with 17 hits in the nightcap.

The teams will complete their four-game series by playing a doubleheader in Arkansas City Saturday at 1 p.m.

"We will climb back on the ladder and get back at it on Saturday," Burroughs said.

Score by inning:

Game one                    R H E

Cowley 2 0 2 0 1 0 2 – 7 10 0

Hutch  2 1 0 0 2 0 1 – 6 9 2

Game two                           R H E

Cowley 0 3 2 0 0 1 2 2 2 – 12 17 3

Hutch  1 3 4 0 4 1 0 5 x – 18 18 1