FORT SCOTT, Kan. – A three-run rally in the top of the sixth would give the Cloud County baseball team a chance in the top of the seventh before coming up just short by stranding the game-tying run on third to fall by a score of 5-4 to Fort Scott Community College in their 2021 season opener in Fort Scott, Kansas on Thursday, February 4th.

The loss sees Cloud County fall in their season opener to fall to 0-1 while the Greyhounds earned their ninth season-opening win since 2012 to improve to 1-0.

Falling into an early 1-0 hole after an inning of play, the T-Birds would strand a hit batter in the top of the first before allowing a solo home run to greyhound first baseman Jakob Machuca before limiting any additional damage by getting out of a two-on, one-out jam.

Both teams would then fall into a scoreless second and third inning until freshman Ian Riley would connect on a pitch to deliver a leadoff home run in the top of the fourth to tie things up at 1-1 and give the T-Birds new life. A crooked inning in the bottom of the fourth for Fort Scott would see the Greyhounds score four runs on three hits, with all four runs coming with two outs as the big blow would come with a three-run homer by Carter Dobrinski.

Cloud County would be unable to cut into the Greyhound lead in the top of the fifth, but hold Fort Scott to a one-two-three inning in the bottom half of the inning to keep the deficit at four heading to the sixth as the offense would need a spark to get back into the game. A leadoff hit batter would be followed up by back-to-back walks to load the bases with no outs and the bottom third of the lineup due up for CCCC as a passed ball would bring in Garrett Redden to get the score back within three at 5-2. Williams Camacho Soto would then deliver with a sacrifice fly to drive in a run to cut into the Fort Scott lead some more as Trevor Stevens would then drive in a run on a groundout to the right side of the infield and bring Cloud County within a run.

Fort Scott would threaten to add to their lead in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff single, but the T-Birds would manage to work around a sacrifice bunt and error to strand the insurance run at third and keep things at a one-run game going to the seventh. Jaden Parsons would give CCCC a chance by getting on board with a leadoff single before moving to second on a Kayden Beauregard sacrifice bunt, but back-to-back strikeouts would end the game and allow the Greyhounds to hang on for the win.   

Limited to just four hits in the contest, Cloud County would see Jaden Parsons, Ian Riley, Jack Correll, and Willie Ponce each record one hit. Riley would also manage to score twice and drive in one run while Trevor Stevens would draw two of CCCC's four walks.

Starting pitcher Evan Wilde would take the loss despite throwing four innings and striking out five of the 20 batters he faced while giving up just five hits. Sophomore Carl Aikman would then throw a scoreless final two innings in relief and strike out two while allowing just one hit as CCCC would use only two pitchers in the contest.

What's Next?

Cloud County and Fort Scott will be back in action tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader to close out a season-opening three-game series.