Cloud County Makes Most of Coffeyville Errors, Takes 10-4 Win in Game One of Region VI Playoffs
After giving up the lead in the top of the fifth, the Cloud County Community College baseball team would outscore visiting Coffeyville Community College 8-1 the rest of the way to take a 10-4 game-one victory in the NJCAA Region VI playoffs best-of-three series at Lee Doyen Field on Wednesday, May 10th.
Sitting just one game away from reaching the bracket portion of the NJCAA Plains District Tournament, Cloud County improves to 36-20 overall on the year while handing Coffeyville a fourth-straight defeat to fall to 27-30 on the year.
With tensions high and mistakes amplified in the postseason, an unorthodox first inning of play would see both the T-Birds and the Red Ravens commit two errors defensively leading to a total of three runs in the inning. Coffeyville would use a leadoff base runner on a throwing error followed by a pair of groundouts to have a runner in scoring position with two outs. Looking to get out of the inning unscathed, Cloud County would see a second error allow an unearned run come home with Coffeyville grabbing an early 1-0 lead along with momentum before Cloud County's first opportunity at the plate.
Fortunately for the T-Birds, miscues would also be seen by the Red Ravens with a leadoff double for Paul Schuyler followed by a throwing error on a ground ball lead to a game-tying run along with freshman Gavin Roy in scoring position at second base. After a fielding error in the next at-bat and strikeout for the first out of the inning, Cloud County would grab the lead on a Landon Meyer sacrifice fly to score Roy to finish off a response at the plate and put things at a 2-1 T-Bird lead heading into the second.
Leadoff base runners for both teams in the second would not lead to any runs as starting pitching for both Cloud County and Coffeyville would settle in to put up a zero on the scoreboard before following up with scoreless third and fourth innings as the T-Birds would see eight straight batters retired in order. After retiring the leadoff Red Raven hitter for the first time on the day in the top of the fifth, Coffeyville would manage to string together three consecutive base runners with a walk, double, and two-RBI single on a 0-2 count by Mason Holton flip the lead back in favor of Coffeyville by a 3-2 mark with Cloud County starter Mason McConnaughey facing his biggest jam of the afternoon. The Topeka, Kansas native would respond by inducing a popup to the catcher in foul territory before getting a groundout on a chopper back to the mound to strand another Coffeyville run as the Red Ravens would strand five base runners through five innings of play.
Looking to respond again to the offensive output by Coffeyville, Cloud County would once again take full advantage of defensive struggles by the Red Ravens with a two-out error allowing Schuyler to reach base and score Alex Diaz who had reached earlier in the inning on a double. Following Schuyler, Roy would deliver what would arguably be a game-changing hit with a drive into the left-center field gap for an RBI triple as the relay throw would be completely off the mark and allow for a heads-up base running play by the Sudbury, Ontario native to come around and score of Coffeyville's fourth error of the day to go up 5-3.
Turning things over to reliever Brady Stuewe to begin the sixth, the T-Birds would work another scoreless defensive inning despite allowing a pair of two-out base runners with a throwing error and hit batter putting the game-tying run on base before a groundout to keep momentum with CCCC. Another error by Coffeyville to begin the bottom of the sixth would start the Cloud County offense once more as a one-out single from Kolden Howerton would be followed by an Anthony Taggart RBI single to allow the T-Birds to continue to build their lead as Diaz would follow suit with an RBI single of his own. One last chance for Red Raven starter Ricky Hernandez to work himself out of a jam would be to the benefit of Cloud County as Karson Green would break the game open for good with a two-RBI single for the fourth-consecutive hit of the inning by CCCC as the T-Birds would go on to score one more run on an RBI walk by Danny Infante to send 10 batters to the plate in the inning as part of a five-run inning.
The lead would be more than enough for Stuewe to work with as the Topeka, Kansas native would get the first one-two-three inning of the day for Cloud County in the seventh before allowing just one hit in the form of a solo home run in the eighth as Cloud County would carry a 10-4 lead into the ninth. After 42 pitches through his first three innings of work, Stuewe would finish off a four-inning save by getting a strikeout and two flyouts to Howerton in left field to secure CCCC's first win over Coffeyville in three tries dating back to the 2001 season.
Stranded runners would be a telling statistic in the contest as eight runners would be left on base by Coffeyville compared to just four for Cloud County along with the T-Birds scoring six unearned runs while allowing just one unearned run of their own. For CCCC, nine hits would come from six different players with Taggart having a game-high three hits in a three-for-four effort while Green and Infante would both drive in a game-high two RBI. On the mound, McConnaughey would pick up his first victory since April 13th after throwing five innings and striking out eight on 81 total pitches. Stuewe would throw 55 pitches and pick up his second save of the year after entering the game with a two-run lead and facing just four batters over the minimum with four strikeouts.
What's Next?
CCCC will look to close out a series sweep in game two on Thursday which is set for a 2 PM first pitch from Lee Doyen Field. The T-Birds are seeking their third trip to the double-elimination bracket portion of the tournament, with both previous occurrences coming under current head coach Eric Gilliland. If Cloud County were to be victorious and advance on Thursday, they would continue postseason play on Tuesday, May 16th with a 7 PM contest against the series winner of Cowley and Pratt at Eck Stadium in Wichita, Kansas.