Madron hits three home runs as Cowley blasts Butler

It has been quite the season for Cowley College sophomore Bryce Madron. The centerfielder continued his onslaught on opposing pitching by blasting three home runs in the No. 6-ranked Tigers 10-1 win at Butler Community College in the first game of a doubleheader played Thursday in El Dorado, KS. The Tigers would continue to pour it on in an 11-6 win of game two as they ran their winning streak to 15 games.

Madron added a double in the opener as he went 4-for-5 with eight runs batted in.

"Bryce was locked in at the plate and put on an impressive display," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said.

Madron led off the game with a home run, homered again in the second inning, doubled in the sixth, and capped his three-homer game with a three-run blast in the seventh.

"Bryce starting the game with a home run really kick started us," Burroughs said.

Grant Adler was the benefit of the run support in game one. Adler allowed only one hit in five innings as he improved his record to 9-0 on the season.

"It was not an easy day to pitch, but Grant really pitched well," Burroughs said.

It was freshman right fielder Ty Hammack's time to shine in game two as he went 2-for-5 with a home run and six runs batted in.

"Ty is a typical young player that has gone through some ups and downs, but he has kept working to get better and I was really happy for him to have a game like that," Burroughs said.

Madron added two more hits and is now batting .434 with 14 home runs and 52 runs batted in.

Sophomore J'Briell Easley earned the win in game two to run his record to 4-0. Easley allowed six hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Miguel Fulgencio and Isaac Stebens, the third and fourth pitchers used for the Tigers in game two, combined to strike out nine batters in 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Fulgencio (0.62 ERA) and Stebens (1.56 ERA) have combined for 70 strikeouts and only six walks in 46 1/3 innings.

"They are both special young pitchers that take their craft seriously," Burroughs said.

Butler starting pitcher Gavin Peterson (2-3) allowed eight runs before being relieved with nobody out in the top of the second inning.

Cowley is now 40-7 overall, while Butler falls to 28-20. The teams will wrap up its four-game series by playing a doubleheader in Arkansas City Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.

"It is always fun to play Butler," Burroughs said. "We want to put on a good effort and aim towards a big final week of the regular season."

Score by inning:

Game one                     R H E

Cowley 2 2 0 0 0 3 3 – 10 11 1

Butler   0 0 0 0 0 0 1 –   1 2 1

Game two                           R H E

Cowley 2 6 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 – 11 8 0

Butler   0 0 0 1 3 2 0 0 0 – 6 10 0