Feb 17, 2020

T-Bird baseball splits Sunday contests

Posted Feb 17, 2020 1:34 AM

EDMOND, Okla. – After suffering their loss of the season in their opening game of the day to Coffeyville, the Cloud County Community College baseball team would rally in the ninth inning to force extra-innings before going on to earn a 5-4, 11-inning win over Seminole State College to split a doubleheader at the University of Central Oklahoma Junior College Jamboree in Edmond, Okla., on Sunday.

The Sunday split gives Cloud County a 5-1 overall record after going 2-1 on the weekend as the Red Ravens and Trojans will finish off the weekend with a game against each other later tonight.

"I was very proud of the guys and how we played this weekend to go 2-1 overall" said head coach Eric Gilliland in a post-game interview.

"We didn't play our best baeball against Coffeyville in our opener today, but we responded with a big effort against Seminole State who is as talented of a team as we will play this year."

"It was fun to watch our guys compete against three quality teams this weekend in a great venue at the University of Central Oklahoma." 

AGAINST COFFEYVILLE

­­Facing off against a Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference cross division-foe, it would very much be a pitcher's duel between the two teams as both Cloud County and Coffeyville would see their starting pitcher's go deep into the game. Following a strong start by the T-Birds in the top of the first, Cloud County would use a leadoff walk from Jaden Parsons and failed pickoff to put a runner on third with no outs. A ground two batters later would allow Parsons to score as the T-Birds would strike first with the lone run in the inning despite being held hitless in their first at-bat.

Coffeyville would have a response in the top of the second, using a leadoff double and sacrifice bunt to put a runner 90 feet from scoring as the Red Ravens would push the run across with a one-out RBI single. After picking off the runner at first, starting pitcher Tylor Jans would be able to get out of the inning while keeping things tied up at 1-1. The T-Birds would be unable to do anything with a one-out single in the bottom half of the frame, bringing the Red Ravens back up to the plate where Coffeyville would take their first lead of the game with a pair of two-out hits before seeing the inning-end on the base paths with another pick off from Jans.

Cloud County would appear to have something going in the bottom of the third, using a Parsons one-out single to go along with a stolen base and wild pitch to move him to third after a strikeout. The inning would end with the T-Birds coming up empty however as Parsons would get caught in a rundown on a Clayton Loranger swinging bunt and be put out on the base paths to end the third.  

In the top of the fourth, Coffeyville would see a leadoff baserunner reach on an error erased as a strikeout and inning-ending double play by Cloud County would put the Red Ravens down without any real threat to add to their lead. The T-Birds would draw just a walk in the bottom half of the fourth, seeing the inning end on the base paths on a stolen base attempt by Davis Pratt as Coffeyville starter Raymond Farrell would limit the T-Birds to just two hits in four innings. Both teams would be held scoreless in the fifth, keeping things a one-run game going to the sixth as the game would be broken open in the final two innings.

A big sixth inning by Coffeyville would see Red Ravens take advantage of three errors and three hits along with a passed ball on a third strike to put up five runs and go up 7-1 after being limited to just three runs in their first three games combined. A Griffin Larsen solo homer with two outs would be all that Cloud County could muster in the bottom half of the inning to make things a 7-2 deficit going into the seventh and final inning of the game as Coffeyville would tack on two more in the top of the seventh. The T-Birds would threaten to try and put together a late rally with their final three outs, loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh and getting an RBI groundout from Parsons to plate one final run as the game would come to an end with the Red Ravens taking the six-run decision.

Ed Scott would be the lone T-Bird to register multiple hits in the game, going two-for-three at the plate with the other four hits for Cloud County coming from Parsons, Larsen, Nick Pearson and Kyler Charchun. Three pitchers would be used in the contest by the T-Birds, with Jans going five innings while Trey Asher and Jarod Leroux would combine to close out the final two innings.

AGAINST SEMINOLE STATE

Things would get off to a slow start for both teams as Cloud County and Seminole State would be limited to just one hit each through the first three innings of action to keep the game scoreless heading to the fourth. A Larsen single to lead off the top of the fourth would appear to have the T-Birds with an opportunity to break the deadlock, but a double play and pop out would put a quick end to the top of the fourth. Seminole State would then squander a leadoff double as a pair of groundouts and strikeout would strand the runner at second to keep things where they started after four innings of action.

A wild top of the fifth for Cloud County would see the T-Birds start things off with a flyout followed by a Connor Laux single that would be followed up by and Scott double to put two runners in scoring position. A strikeout would then threaten to put an end to the threat, but Alex Rice and Loranger would draw back-to-back walks to bring in the first run of the game. Larsen would keep the rally going by drawing a third walk to give Cloud County a 2-0 lead and knock the Trojan starting pitcher out of the game as the top of the fifth would end on the next batter following the change.

The T-Birds would then use their second double-play of the game to erase a leadoff walk and single for Seminole State as a strikeout would once again end a Trojan threat to keep things at a two-run CCCC lead. Cloud County would then add to their lead in the top of the sixth with a one-out walk and two-out RBI double from Scott to drive in Ty Nelson. Following a Parsons walk, Rice would hit what would appear to be an RBI single, but Scott would be thrown out at the plate to end the inning and erase what would be a second run in the sixth for the T-Birds.

With Seminole State held to just three hits in five innings, the Trojans would manage to get a leadoff triple and sacrifice fly to put a run across in the bottom of the sixth, but then squander a one-out walk with a pair of groundouts to trail 3-1 heading to the seventh. Cloud County would be held scoreless in the top of the seventh, and then see three-straight Seminole State hits cut the lead to 3-2 with the go-ahead run at third. A failed double-steal would see the Trojan runner gunned down at home but move another runner into scoring position. Seminole State would then follow up with a strikeout before tying the game on an RBI single and get back-to-back walks to load the bases with two outs. A strikeout would end the inning and keep the Trojans from taking their first lead of the game.

Nelson would lead things off for Cloud County in the top of the eighth with a double and move to third on a sacrifice bunt, but a groundout to first and strikeout would prevent CCCC from reclaiming the lead to send things to the bottom of the eighth. Seminole State would then make the most of their opportunity in the bottom of the eighth, getting a leadoff double and throwing error to take their first lead of the game at 4-3 and put a runner on second with no outs. A sacrifice bunt would move the would-be insurance run to third, but the inning would end on a dropped third strike that would lead to a 2-3-2 inning-ending double play to keep the deficit for CCCC at just one.

Needing a run to extend the game, Cloud County would see a strikeout put the T-Birds down to their final two outs, but Loranger would get a rally started with a double before coming around to tie things up on a Larsen RBI single. The T-Birds would then get a walk and flyout to move Larsen from second to third before seeing Nelson get hit by a pitch to load the bases to threaten to take the lead once more. Seminole State would thwart the CCCC rally with a strikeout to keep things tied with a chance to end the game in the bottom of the ninth.

After putting the game-winning run 90 feet away with two outs, but it would be Cloud County's turn to turn away a potential game-winning run with a strikeout to send the game to extra-innings. A scoreless 10th by both teams would take the game to the 11th where Cloud County would use a hit batter and wild pitch to move Larsen into scoring position for Nelson to hit a go-ahead RBI double. The Trojans would then go down in order in the 11th as Bradan Pierce would earn the save by striking out two of the three batters he faced to end the game.

Larsen and Nelson would be the offensive spark needed in the game as the duo would combine for four hits and three RBI while also scoring twice in the victory. Earning the win on the mound would be Evan Wilde in relief as the freshman would go 3.1 innings and strike out five while allowing just one unearned run.

What's next?

Cloud County will open a seven-game homestand beginning on Tuesday with a 2 p.m. non-conference tilt with Southeast Community College. The Game will be part of five home games next week as CCCC will also host Marshalltown Community College for a four-game set over the weekend.

--cloudtbirds.com--