Tiger baseball team takes two of three at Tyler Junior College

Drake Fittro, who had six hits in Thursday's doubleheader, started game one with a first-pitch solo home run to give Cowley the 1-0 lead. Cowley would add another run in the first inning to lead 2-0.

However, the Apaches scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and had a chance for more before Tyler's Reid Graham hit into a double play to avoid any further damage.

After the Tigers left runners at second and third in the top of the second inning, the Apaches hit back-to-back home runs leading off the bottom of the second, as Tyler's lead grew to 5-2 and chased Cowley starting pitcher Chance Accord from the game.

Sophomore Jack Hamm relieved Accord on the mound after Accord allowed five runs on five hits and three walks in 1 inning pitched. Hamm promptly walked the first batter he faced before surrendering an RBI double and the Apache's fourth home run of the game as Tyler's lead grew to 7-2.

Cowley would scratch across a run in the top of the third inning before Fittro's two-run single pulled the Tigers within 7-5. Dax McCaskill then singled home another run to make the score 7-6, and an error later in the inning allowed the tying run to score.

Hamm would leave the game after allowing a leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hamm was relieved by Grady Hoke, who went on to strand the baserunner and keep the game tied at 7-7.

Cowley scored four runs on two hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead 11-7 and make it nine unanswered runs.

Tyler had runners at first and second with nobody out in the sixth when Carter Rose entered in relief of Hoke. One of the inherited runners would score as Cowley's lead was cut to 11-8.

Rose stayed on to pitch the seventh and, after allowing a one-out walk, got a flyout and strikeout to preserve the win.

Freshman Keaton Humphrey from Overland Park, KS, made the start on the mound for Cowley in game two and allowed a run in both the first and second innings as the Tigers fell behind 2-0. Humphrey would settle in and toss a scoreless third inning before being relieved by freshman Isaac Worden

Cowley would scratch across runs in the third and fourth innings to tie the game at 2-2.

The Tigers would go back in front after catcher Holden Groebl tripled, leading off the top of the sixth inning, and scored on a towering, two-run homer by Weston Thomas, who finished with three hits in the win.

Tyler would pull within 4-3 after scoring a run off Worden (1-0) in the bottom of the sixth inning. However, Cowley would score four runs in the seventh inning, with three of the runs coming on a bases-loaded walk, a hit batter, and an error as its lead grew to 8-3.

Following a solid relief effort by Worden, freshman Riley Lile came on to pitch a scoreless seventh and eighth inning.

Jace Patton scored off a wild pitch in the ninth inning to score the Tigers' ninth run.

Freshman pitcher Stetson Etheridge came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth, but was relieved by sophomore Lucas Weaver after loading the bases with only one out. Weaver struck out both batters he faced to end the threat and help Cowley sweep the two games on Thursday.

Returning to play Friday morning at 11, sophomore Keagan Robertson (0-1) earned the start on the mound for the Tigers. Robertson allowed a run in the first inning and two more in the second.

Peyton Gosch would be the next to pitch for Cowley and held the Apaches to one run in two innings as the Tigers trailed 4-0.

Freshman Nolan Hable came on to pitch in place of sophomore Trevor Breaux, who tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings and left with Tyler leading 4-0. Hable would pitch into the seventh and keep the Tigers off the scoreboard.

Left-handed freshman Evan Fleet came on to pitch the fifth inning and allowed a run before freshman left-hander Jake Hobbs came on to allow a two-run double by Micah Roberts to increase Tyler's lead to 7-0 after six innings of play.

Right-handed sophomore Cameron Mock pitched the seventh and allowed two runs as the Apaches' lead grew to 9-0. Mock settled down to put up a zero in the bottom of the eighth inning, but that was one of the few bright spots in the 9-0 loss.

Diego Estrada, who entered in relief of Hable in the seventh, finished off the shutout as Cowley finished with only five hits in the defeat.

Despite the defeat on Friday, the Tigers won the series and will return to Ark City with a 3-3 record. Cowley will head back to Texas to play a doubleheader at Panola College on Friday at 1, followed by a third game on Saturday at 1.

Score by inning:

Game one

                                                  R H E

Cowley 2 0 5 0 0 4 0 – 11 11 1

Tyler     3 4 0 0 0 1 0 – 8 11 2

Game two                          R H E

Cowley 0 0 1 1 0 2 4 0 1 – 9 9 0

Tyler     1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 – 3 8 2

Game three                       R H E

Cowley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 5 3

Tyler     1 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 x – 9 9 2