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Greyhounds, Blue Devils split in conference play
FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Fort Scott Community College's baseball team had just won game one of a Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division doubleheader with Kansas City, Kan., at Lions Field Friday and had a chance to perhaps shake the Blue Devils' spirit after scoring quickly in the second game.
But, for whatever reason, coming from behind to win the opener 10-8 did not give the Greyhounds momentum they could maintain in the second game and KCK salvaged a split by run-ruling Fort Scott 12-2 in the second game.
Jason Houston's second home run of the day scored the winning run in Zach Higgins and an insurance run to boot in the bottom of the sixth inning of the opener, capping a four-run inning that came right after Kansas City had scored three in the top of the inning to take an 8-6 lead.
Fort Scott scored twice in the bottom of the first inning of the second game to go in front. But KCK tied it in the top of the second and four errors over the course of the fourth and fifth innings led to seven unearned runs as the Blue Devils went on to the rout in the nightcap.
"I'm not sure if I can pinpoint it right now," FSCC head coach John Hill said. "We were sloppy but I don't think as a whole. I think a couple of us just weren't ready to go and then that spread, which is the fine line of junior college because you're dealing with all freshmen and sophomores. They're not mature enough yet to get through someone else not being locked in and it's a snowball effect. But it can be the reverse. If someone's hot and locked in, it can be a snowball effect where everyone relaxes (and) starts to do well. Unfortunately in game two, it went the bad way."
After a scoreless first inning in the opener, Kansas City (3-1 East, 5-1 overall) scored one in the top of the second. But Fort Scott (3-3, 7-9) answered with a two-run home run by designated hitter Adam Johnston in the bottom of the inning.
This began a pattern that would last through the entire game. Depending on how you choose to look at it, you could say that every time Kansas City scored, Fort Scott answered. But you could also say that whenever the Greyhounds scored, the couldn't hold the Devils off and let them score in the next inning.
Each team scored once in the third with Houston's first homer of the day answering for Fort Scott.
Each team scored twice in the fourth. Kian Jost led off Fort Scott's half with a double off the center-field wall. Johnston's two-out double drove Jost home and John Leek's single to right-center brought Johnston home.
Each team scored once in the fifth. Fort Scott's run scored when Cullen Baxter's sacrifice fly plated Zach Higgins to give the 'Hounds a 6-5 lead.
Kansas City's sixth-inning rally was keyed by a crucial error on a bunt as no one covered first base. Johnston, who had come on to pitch in the fifth, threw the ball anyway, resulting in the first run scoring and the batter reaching third.
However, the Greyhounds, now down 8-6, fought back in the bottom of the inning, rallying with two out and nobody on. Zach Juliano got things going with a flair single down the left-field line. Then Travis Cruz doubled to right-center. Higgins' single to right brought both runners in and set up Houston's second homer.
"We hit the ball well in the first game," Hill said. "And we overcame some adversity with a bad defensive play. We really snagged game one, which I thought would propel us into game two because I honestly don't think we deserved to win game one."
The Greyhounds had 11 hits in the game. Houston went three for four while Jost and Johnston were each two for three. Houston and Johnston each drove in three runs and Higgins plated two.
Tyler Spear (3-0) was the winning pitcher in relief after finishing up the top of the sixth. Mitch Albright earned his second save with a perfect seventh, striking out two batters.
Cavett Bright and Nate Wilder each had two hits for Kansas City. T.J. Lorson hit a solo homer in the second.
Game two started off nicely for the Greyhounds as their first two batters reached base. Cruz singled and Higgins drew a walk.
Houston grounded to the shortstop, who decided to throw to third to get a force out on Cruz. But the third baseman failed to touch the base and all hands were safe.
Baxter grounded into a double play but Cruz scored. Then Jost plated Keenan with a single to center.
The Blue Devils tied the score in the top of the second off Ryan Prickett (0-2). The score remained so until the top of the fourth. Wilder's three-run home run to right-center was part of a five-run inning that put KCK up 7-2. The Devils scored three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth.
"If you look back, until after the first inning of the second game, every time we scored, we allowed them to score," Hill said. "And with them losing a tough game one like that, if we could have just shut them down after we scored those first two runs, then they probably would have cashed in and thought it wasn't going to work out. But we let them get some momentum, some hope, by letting them have two runs right then and there. That's something this ball club hasn't figured out yet. But they will; it's been preached to them. They've been told and we're going to have to continue to tell it to them. And now they've lived it a couple of times and it's the next step we're going to have to take because we could have easily come away with two wins today if we would have, in that critical second inning, just shut them down."
Wilder had three hits for KCK in the second game while Mike Rezin had two. They, as well as Bright, drove in two runs each.
Ricky Ideus spun a complete-game four-hitter for KCK. He walked three and struck out three.
Jost had two of Fort Scott's four hits.
The Greyhounds step out of conference play for their next two outings. Sunday, they go to Longview (Mo.) for a doubleheader. They play at Evangel (Mo.) Monday. The 'Hounds won't be home again until a week from today when they host Independence, which will be their only home games until April 4.