Tigers knock off No. 20-ranked Hutchinson for fourth straight win

Playing a midweek game at No. 20-ranked Hutchinson Community College on Tuesday, the No. 9-ranked Cowley College baseball team got home runs from Dawson Williams and Cade Baldridge in a 6-4 road win.

The Tigers improve to 13-3 on the season, while the Blue Dragons fall to 16-4.

With Tuesday's game tied 1-1, Cowley sophomore Cade Baldridge led off the top of the third inning with his fourth home run of the season to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. Later in the inning, Dawson Williams connected on a three-run homer to put Cowley in front 5-1.

The Tigers tacked on a run in the fifth inning to increase their lead to 6-1 before Hutchinson scored two runs in the eighth inning and pulled within 6-4 on a home run by catcher Elias Duncan leading off the bottom of the ninth inning.

Chance Acord, the sixth Tiger pitcher on Tuesday, bounced back to strike out the side and preserve the 6-4 win.

"This was a good win for us; Hutch has a good club," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said. "We just need to get more consistent up and down the lineup."

The save was the third of the season for Acord, while Ty Parker (2-0) started on the mound for Cowley and allowed only three hits and one run in four innings pitched.

Sophomore Mitchell Johnson followed Parker on the mound with two scoreless innings of relief. Johnson allowed one hit while striking out three and walking none.

"Ty and Mitchell really threw well," Burroughs said.

Hutchinson also used six pitchers, with starter Brooks Jones taking the loss.

Ian Luce and Williams had two hits apiece for Cowley, as the teams each finished with eight hits.

The Tigers will return home to play a doubleheader vs. Neosho County on Thursday at 1 p.m. The Panthers are 8-3 overall and 2-2 in the Jayhawk East.

"Neosho is always a quality program and we know to expect a battle when we play them," Burroughs said.

Score by inning:                R H E

Cowley 1 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 – 6 8 3

Hutch   0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 – 4 8 0