May 27, 2022

Cowboys fall to Chieftains in state quarterfinals

Posted May 27, 2022 1:25 AM

By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor

Coverage of Abilene baseball is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!
Coverage of Abilene baseball is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!

The Abilene baseball team’s postseason run came to an unfortunate end on Thursday as the Cowboys fell 10-5 to the second-seeded Tonganoxie in this year’s state quarterfinal.

The Chieftains will take on either 16-4 Clay Center or 14-7 Paola in the semifinal tomorrow while a very respectable Cowboy campaign draws to a close at 13-9.

“It’s never easy ending a season and saying goodbye to another great group of seniors,” Abilene head coach Travis Bartley said. “But it does feel a little easier to swallow when getting beat out in the state tournament.”

The teams traded three-run innings to start the game but the Chieftains opened up a big four-run lead in the second, tacking on two more unanswered in the third.

Abilene responded with two of their own in the fifth but the comeback effort came up short as the Cowboys fell despite outhitting Tonganoxie on the evening.

“Tonight just wasn’t Stocton’s night,” Bartley said. But he’s young and I still believe in him. We know he’s going to do great things in the future.”

While Abilene does graduate several seniors, the Cowboys return one of the most potent sophomore classes in 4A and should be primed to reload and run it back in 2023.

“We had a heck of a season,” he said. “These guys took us to where this program has never been. We have a great group of kids, and we’re excited for the future.”