CONCORDIA – Using a walk-off winner in game-one, the Cloud County Community College baseball team would leave no doubt in game two to sweep visiting Marshalltown Community College in a Friday doubleheader by scores of 6-5 and 9-2 at Lee Doyen Field in Concordia.
Winners of four-straight, Cloud County is now 7-1 overall on the year while the Tigers dropped their season-opening games to fall to 0-2 on the season.
GAME ONE
Defense would not be solid from either team in the opener of the twin bill as five errors would be recorded by the two teams. Following a scoreless first inning that would see both Marshalltown and Cloud County put a runner on base, the T-Birds would have to battle through the Tigers getting a leadoff hit-by-pitch and pair of stolen bases to put a runner on third with two outs. Starting pitcher Josh Laukkanen would manage to coax a fly out to end the inning and keep things scoreless heading to the bottom of the second with Cloud County having the middle of the lineup due up.
Griffin Larsen would give CCCC a lead with a solo home run to start the bottom of the second as Cloud County would go on to plate two more runs on three hits with Ed Scott driving in Noah Olson on a sacrifice fly and Alex Rice laying down a two-out RBI bunt single to bring home Davis Pratt from third.
More trouble would find its way to the T-Birds in the top of the third as a leadoff single and one-out hit batter would put two runners on as Marshalltown would threaten to cut into the Cloud County lead. A fly out to center field would end turning into an inning-ending double play for CCCC as an appeal would lead to a third-out on a Tiger runner missing third-base while trying to return to second on the fly ball.
Cloud County would end up going down in order in the bottom of the third before seeing Marshalltown get a run back on a pair of singles in the fourth, but the T-Birds would get a run of their own as a Larsen hit-by-pitch, Trevor Stevens double and Pratt walk would load the bases for Scott who would be hit-by-pitch to drive in his second run of the game. The lone run would be all that CCCC would end up getting in the inning as a 4-6-3 double play would cut down the potential big inning for the T-Birds and keep things at 4-1 going to the fifth.
A throwing error with one out would allow Marshalltown to put a runner on and be followed by back-to-back singles to plate a Marshalltown run with a second error while trying to field the RBI single leading to a second run for the Tigers. With Cloud County holding on to a 4-3 lead, Marshalltown would keep the inning going with a two-run home run to take their first lead of the afternoon as the two errors would end up looming large in the inning.
Following a Tiger pitching change, Cloud County would see a pair of fly outs quickly put two outs on the board before a Ty Nelson triple would start a T-Bird rally in the bottom of the fifth. Larsen would drive in his second run of the game on an RBI double to score Nelson and tie things up at 5-5 and make things a new ball game once more heading to the sixth.
Both teams would go down in order in the sixth as Cloud County would work around a one-out walk in the top of the seventh to keep things knotted up at 5-5 going to the bottom of the seventh in the game which was scheduled for seven-innings. Back-to-back singles by Rice and Jaden Parsons would put two runners on with no outs and would be followed by an error that would allow by runners to move up 90 feet and the game-winning run at third. Clayton Loranger would be intentionally walked to set up a force out at all-bases and would be followed by a Nelson strikeout, leaving the T-Birds two outs to work with to push across a single-run. Larsen would play the role of hero, hitting an RBI single to end things and give Cloud County a 6-5 victory in what would prove to be an up and down game for the T-Birds.
A perfect three-for-three performance from Larsen would also see the sophomore drive in three runs and collect two extra-base hits as Cloud County would see six of their 10 hits go for extra-bases. Rice would be the lone other T-Bird to collect multiple hits in the game, going two-for-four with an RBI and run scored.
On the mound, Laukkanen would go five innings and allow five runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out a season-best nine batters and wind up with a no-decision. Trey Asher would get the win after tossing the final two innings of the contest and striking out three while walking one in a pair of hitless innings.
GAME TWO
Seeing a similar start to the game in the back end of the doubleheader, both Cloud County and Marshalltown would go quietly in the first inning before stranding a runner each in a scoreless second to keep things scoreless after two innings of play. The Tigers would appear to have a rally started in the top of the third with a leadoff single and one-out hit batter putting two runners on base. A fielder's choice would allow Marshalltown to put runners on the corners with two outs, but a fly out would end the threat and allow the T-Birds to get the offense back up to the plate.
The bottom of the lineup would provide the first offense of the game for CCCC as Jose Luna would blast a solo home run to get the T-Birds on the board and would be followed by bunt singles from Parsons and Rice. A third-consecutive bunt single courtesy of Scott would load the bases with no-outs as Cloud County would end up scoring two more runs on wild pitches go up 3-0 after three innings of play.
A perfect inning from starting pitcher Evan Wilde would allow the T-Birds to keep things rolling in the bottom of the fourth, as Parsons would reach base after being hit with two outs and would see Rice follow with a free pass. Scott would deliver the big blow of the inning with a three-run blast to double the CCCC lead as Cloud County would take a commanding 6-0 lead through four.
Another clean inning on defense would allow the T-Birds to build upon their lead, adding two more in the fifth on a Larsen RBI single and Luna sacrifice fly as the lead would grow to its largest margin at 8-0. Marshalltown would break through for a run in the top of the sixth, but see the T-Birds get the run back in the bottom of the inning with a Nelson RBI single as the game would end in the top of the seventh following one final run from the Tigers to end things with CCCC coming away with the seven-run victory.
A monster game from Scott would see the Manhattan, Kansas native go three-for-four with three RBI and three runs scored as the sophomore would account for six of Cloud County's nine runs. 16 different players would end up getting into the contest for the T-Birds, with 11 recording at least one at-bat.
A near-gem from Wilde would see the freshman move to 2-0 on the year after throwing six innings and allowing just one run on four hits while matching the performance from Laukkanen in game one by striking out nine. Jared Stuewe would finish things off in the seventh, throwing one inning and striking out three to end the game.
What's next?
A series win and four-game sweep is still on the table for Cloud County against Marshalltown as the T-Birds and Tigers will face off Saturday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader. Cloud County is looking to keep one of their best starts in school history still going while MCC will be looking for their first win of the year.
--cloudtbirds.com--