Tigers take down defending champion McClennan 10-8 in elimination game

With a crowd of 6,713 JUCO World Series fans watching the elimination game between the seventh-seeded Cowley College Tigers and third-seeded McClennan (TX) Community College Monday at Stocker Stadium's Sam Suplizio Field in Grand Junction, CO, the Tigers held on to defeat the defending national champions 10-8.

"We knew how good McClennan was and knew we were going to have to score some runs to beat them," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said.

With the win, Cowley advances to play Tuesday at 3 p.m. MST against the loser of Monday night's Walters State vs. Central Florida contest.

For the first time in the tournament, Cowley grabbed an early lead. This time, it took just two batters into the game as Bryce Madron drew a leadoff walk and scored on a two-run homer by sophomore third baseman Trey DeGarmo.

"That homer was a confidence booster for our team and kind of set the tone," Burroughs said.

McClennan would answer in the bottom of the first inning as Ty Johnson walked and scored on a double by Hunter Grimes. After Cowley starter Chance Cox retired the next two batters, Highlander second baseman Daniel Altman singled up the middle to score Grimes with the tying run.

Using Trayson Miller as the team's designated hitter, Miller cranked his first collegiate home run over the right-centerfield wall to put Cowley back in front 3-2 in the top of the second inning. With a chance to add to its lead, the Tigers would strand a pair of base runners when McClennan second baseman Daniel Altman raced out to centerfield to snag a blooper by Janson Reeder.

Once again, the Highlanders struck back in the bottom of the second as Jason Hawkins walked, advanced to third on a double by Ty Johnson and scored on a sacrifice fly by Grimes to tie the game at 3-3.

McLennan would grab its first lead of the game at 4-3 when first baseman John Ceccoli led off the bottom of the third inning with a solo home run.

With two outs and nobody on base and Trey DeGarmo facing a 0-and-2 count in the top of the fourth inning, DeGarmo battled back to draw a walk. The walk extended the inning and the Tigers would go on to score three runs. A throwing error allowed Cowley to score two runs before David Herring singled home Conner Gore with the third run of the inning as the Tigers went in front by a score of 6-4.

The inning would be the last for McClennan starting pitcher Devin Bennett (9-2) as he allowed six hits and six runs in four innings pitched.

With runs a plenty, the Highlanders scratched across another run off Cox in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 6-5. Cox would allow six hits and four runs in four innings pitched.

Austin Ford relieved Bennett to start the fifth inning. Ford allowed a leadoff single to Ty Hammack, who would come around to score on a two-out error by Highlander shortstop Izzy Lopez, the fourth of the game committed by McClennan. Cowley was not done there as they added another run when Ford walked Conner Gore with the bases loaded to force in Bryce Madron from third with the Tigers' eighth run of the game.

With a chance to add on to the lead, Cowley stranded the bases loaded as Jared Matheson came in to pitch and struck out David Herring.

Freshman Carlton Perkins (2-0) relieved Cox to pitch the bottom of the fifth inning and put up the first scoreless inning for the Tigers.

"It could have gotten too fast for him. He gave up a couple baserunners, but still got three outs without a run and that was big in that spot," Burroughs said.

With the bases loaded and one out in the top of the sixth inning, Madron grounded into a force out to score Logan Vaughan to make the score 9-5.

After tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings in Sunday's win, sophomore lefty Miguel Fulgencio came on to pitch and struck out Ty Johnson on three pitches. However, Hunter Grimes followed with a solo home run to left field to pull the Highlanders within 9-6. The home run allowed by Fulgencio was his first of the season in 40 innings pitched. Two batters later, Ceccoli would hit his second home run of the game to make the score 9-7.

Matheson, who entered the game with an ERA of 1.26, was pulled after hitting David Herring with a pitch and then walking Logan Vaughan, his fifth walk in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Will Glatch relieved Matheson with two on and one out in the top of the seventh. Glatch struck out Ty Hammack and Miller as the Tigers stranded two more runners.

The Highlanders made Cowley pay for all the stranded baserunners as they got a double by pinch hitter Chase Brown leading off the bottom of the seventh and a run scoring single by Izzy Lopez to pull within 9-8.

Following the single by Lopez, Fulgencio tossed a wild pitch to move Lopez into scoring position. Burroughs had seen enough as he brought in sophomore Isaac Stebens to pitch.

Fulgencio allowed four hits and three runs in 1 plus innings pitched. Stebens calmly struck out Elijah Rodriguez, got Jason Hawkins to ground out, and then struck out Ty Johnson to strand the tying run.

"He came in in a tough situation and got us out of it. That flipped the game right there," Burroughs said.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Stebens walked Cole Fontenelle, who then stole second. Stebens then got Ceccoli to ground out to second to move Fontenelle to third with two outs. With the tying run only 90-feet away, Stebens bared down and struck out Altman to preserve the one-run lead.

Looking for some insurance runs, Conner Gore led off the ninth with an infield single which led to the Highlanders making a pitching change as Gray Harrison came on in relief of Glatch.

Gore advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third on a one-out wild pitch. Hammack then ground into a potential double play, but an errant throw to first allowed Gore to score the Tigers' 10^th run.

With Stebens in control on the mound, the right-hander retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth as Cowley celebrated the 10-8 win. Stebens went the final three innings on the mound, surrendering no hits with one walk and five strikeouts as he earned his seventh save of the season.

DeGarmo, who reached base five times in the win, credited the Tigers difficult schedule with helping get the team to where they are today.

"It just goes to show the JUCO grind we have gone through," DeGarmo said. "We have had to work hard for it and thrive in these kind of situations."

McLennan finishes the season with a record of  50-13-1.

Cowley is now 52-10 on the season and has won back-to-back games at the JUCO World Series. The Tigers will look to make it three wins in a row on Tuesday.

"We just need to keep trying to score more than the opponent," Burroughs said.

Score by inning:                       R H E

Cowley      2 1 0 3 2 1 0 0 1 – 10 10 0

McLennan 2 1 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 – 8 11 4