CONCORDIA, Kan. – Strong pitching along with taking advantage of numerous offensive opportunities under sunny and clear skies would lead to a 5-2 and 12-5 win for the Cloud County Community College baseball team to earn a doubleheader sweep of Dodge City Community College at Lee Doyen Field in Concordia, Kansas on Thursday, April 29th.

Taking the first two of this weekend's four-game set, the T-Birds improved to 27-16 overall and 16-10 in Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference West Division action while the Conquistadors drop to 19-23 overall and 6-19 in KJCCC play.

Game One:
Bouncing back from just his third loss of the season, CCCC would get a complete-game effort from freshman Kolby Dougan as the Topeka, Kansas native would go the distance and give up two runs (zero earned) on four hits while striking out eight to reclaim the KJCCC lead in ERA and hold on to the Jayhawk Conference strikeout lead. Allowing just one hit through five, Dougan would keep DC3 scoreless until the top of the sixth which would be more than enough time for the T-Birds to jump out to a four-run with a Noah Olson solo home run in the bottom of the first and three run bottom of the fifth as a sacrifice fly and Kayden Beauregard two RBI single would make it 4-0 Cloud County.

Dodge City's two runs would come with two outs in the top of the sixth as a fielding error with two runners on would allow both to come around to score before a putout on the basepaths to end the inning which would cut the CCCC lead in half. The T-Birds would go on to add an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning with three hits including a Jaden Parsons RBI single to make it 5-2 as the three-run lead would hold and become a final score as Dodge City would muster just a leadoff single in the top of the seventh.

Of CCCC's five runs in the game, only two would be earned as an error by Dodge City would prove to be costly for the Conquistadors. Pounding out 12 hits in the game, Cloud County would have five players (Ian Riley, Parsons, Beauregard, Garrett Redden, and Adler Pierson) finish with two hits each as eight runners would get stranded.

Game Two:
A disciplined effort at the plate would be equally effective for Cloud County in game two as the T-Birds would score runs in five of their eight innings that they batted while jumping out to a 6-1 lead while drawing 11 walks. Adding to the free passes would be four hit batters as CCCC would plate two in the bottom of the second on a Redden leadoff solo home run and Riley sacrifice fly to score Brock Hillebert following a one-out triple.

Dodge city would get on the board in the third with a pair of singles, walk, and wild pitch as an RBI groundout would make it 2-1 before seeing the Conquistadors strand two runners in what would be a missed opportunity. The run would be taken back in short order by Cloud County with Olson drawing a hit-by-pitch and Williams Camacho-Soto standup double putting two on with no outs as a wild pitch on a third strike allowing both runners to move up while Beauregard would reach base. Parsons would then break the game open with a two-RBI single as another wild pitch later in the inning would score Redden to make it 6-1 with the T-Birds pushing across four runs on just two hits.

Another single run for DC3 in the fourth would make it 6-2 as Cloud County would manufacture an unearned run to go back up by a six-run margin before playing a scoreless fifth. Dodge City would get the run back in the sixth with an RBI groundout after a one-out throwing error would allow Ethan Baptie to take third on what would have otherwise been a routine play as the run would be the lone run that reliever Brady Kobitowich would allow.

More offense for Cloud County in the bottom of the sixth would see a one-out walk and double followed by another walk load the bases for Pierson who would clear things off with a three-RBI double down the right field line. Two more CCCC runs in the bottom of the seventh would threaten to end the game by run rule as the T-Birds would have the game-ending run represented by Redden at third before a strikeout ended the inning and would force an eighth inning to be played.

CCCC would have another chance to end the game in the eighth as the bases would be loaded with just one out following a walk, single, and walk, but a strikeout and groundout would send things to the ninth. Sitting just three outs away from ending things, the T-Birds would see Dodge City put together a small rally that would push across two runs on two hits, a walk, and hit batter as a strikeout would strand a pair of runners and give Cloud County a seven-run victory in the night cap.

A 2.2 inning relief outing from Kobitowich would lead to the freshman's first win of the year as the Edmonton, Alberta native allowed one run (unearned) on no hits while striking out two. As a staff, Cloud County would strike out 10 of the 43 batters they would face but be hurt by eight walks as the Conquistadors would record just six hits.

Five of the 11 hits for the T-Birds would go for extra-bases with Redden, Parsons, and Hillebert accounting for six hits and six RBIs. A game-high three-RBI outing from Parsons would lead the day offensively to go along with two hits and a run scored.

What's Next?
Games three and four will see the series between DC3 and CCCC shift to Dodge City on Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader set to take place at Cavalier Field. Cloud County will be looking for their third series win in game one on Saturday and first since the first weekend of April when the T-Birds took three of four from Garden City.