CONCORDIA, Kan. – Two very different games would still lead to an identical set of results for the Cloud County Community College baseball team on Saturday as the T-Birds would pick up wins by scores of 10-9 and 3-1 over Marshalltown Community College at Lee Doyen Field in Concordia, Kansas on Saturday, February 25th.
 
Improving to 6-3 overall, CCCC takes a two games to none lead in the four-game series with Marshalltown who falls to 0-6 on the season. The games marked the first home games for Cloud County in 2023 and at a recently renovated Lee Doyen Field that now features infield turf along with other facility enhancements.
 
Game One:
Holding MCC hitless through the first two innings of the series opener, Cloud County would jump out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as a one-out Caden Walker single would lead to a Justin Johnson two-run home run as part of a three-hit inning in the bottom of the first for CCCC. The side would be retired in order in both ends of the second before seeing Marshalltown get a leadoff single and put two runners on with one out in the top of the third as sophomore starting pitcher Jack Mount would be tasked with working out of his first jam of the day. Inducing a pair of fly outs, Mount and the T-Birds would escape the inning with their two-run lead intact with the top of the order due up in their half of the inning.
 
Unable to do anything with a one-out walk drawn by Walker, CCCC would run into trouble defensively in the top of the fourth as the Tigers would put together a two-out rally with back-to-back doubles to plate a run before taking advantage of a wild pitch and passed ball to tie things at 2-2. The T-Birds wouldn't waste much time to reclaim the lead, as the first three batters of the inning would all record base hits before seeing a Landon Meyer three-run home run break the tie and give Cloud County their largest lead of the day at 5-2.
 
Things would start to pick up offensively in the fifth as a leadoff walk and two-run home run would bring Marshalltown right back within a run at 5-4 before three-straight one-out walks would load the bases and put the go-ahead run in scoring position. A hit batter and single would lead to three more runs for MCC to grab a 7-5 lead before a wild pitch and RBI single would cap off a seven-run inning that would come on just three hits for the Tigers to take a 9-5 lead on CCCC after trailing for most of the contest.
 
Not to be outdone, Cloud County would draw two walks to begin the bottom of the fifth before using a wild pitch to put a runner just 90 feet away from scoring to force a pitching change with the T-Birds starting to threaten to get right back into the game. Another walk followed by a fielding error by Marshalltown would lead to a run with still no outs and the bases loaded while bringing up designated hitter Brock Wollin to the plate. The redshirt sophomore would make the most of the opportunity, hitting a go-ahead grand slam to turn a 9-6 deficit into a 10-9 lead for the T-Birds while capping off a five-run inning on two hits as the inning would come to an end shortly after.
 
Following the fifth inning that saw the two teams combine for 12 total runs on just five hits, Cloud County would limit Marshalltown to just a leadoff single in the top of the sixth while stranding a potential game-tying runner before seeing two potential insurance runs get stranded in their own half of the inning. Looking to close out a series-opening victory, the T-Birds would turn to reliever Cole Askew to record the final three outs of the game as the Topeka, Kansas native would strike out the side to slam the door shut on the Tigers and allow CCCC to earn a one-run victory.
 
With 10 total hits in the contest, Cloud County would also draw five walks while striking out just three times to leave a total of three baserunners stranded in what would be an otherwise productive offensive performance. Going a perfect three-for-three would be Wollin with a game-high four RBI while both Johnson and Meyer would drive in three runs each to account for the six remaining RBI by CCCC. On the mound, the T-Birds would use four total pitchers with Mount going three innings and striking out six before turning things over to Brady Stuewe who would strike out four in 1.1 innings of work. Earning his second win of the year would be Mason McConnaughey after striking out four of the 11 batters he faced while Askew would earn his first save of the year and account for three of the 17 total strikeouts that would be recorded by the T-Bird pitching staff.
 
Game Two:
The offensive explosion that was seen in game one would be a far cry from what would be seen in game two as runs would be scored in just two of the seven innings in the game. Keeping Marshalltown off the scoreboard in the first, Cloud County would open the bottom of the first with a leadoff home run from freshman Paul Schuyler to record what would ultimately end up being the lone run scored through the first three innings of the game.
 
After being put down in order in both the bottom of the second and third innings, CCCC would see Marshalltown break through for a game-tying run on a leadoff home run in the top of the fourth with the Tigers recording one hit in each of the first four innings. With the game now tied at 1-1, Cloud County would respond by using a Wollin leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth to spark a two-run inning with five base-hit singles allowing the T-Birds to reclaim the lead despite leaving the bases loaded to end the inning.
 
Finally getting their first one-two-three inning of the game defensively in the top of the fifth, CCCC would be unable to use the momentum and wind up going down in order in their end of the fifth as the game would find itself in a stretch that saw nine consecutive batters retired in order. After getting a strikeout to begin the top of the sixth, Cloud County would see a fielding error allow Marshalltown to put a game-tying run on base before a fielder's choice that would lead to a big second out to be just one out away from maintaining their lead. The Tigers would continue to threaten by getting a base-hit single from their next batter before seeing a groundout leave the game-tying run on base.
 
A chance to add to their lead and pick up some potential insurance runs before heading to the final inning of play, Cloud County would be unable to capitalize on a one-out walk and single as a hit batter would load the bases and set up an inning-ending double play that would keep MCC down just two runs heading into the top of the seventh. Once again turning to Askew to shut down Marshalltown and record his second save of the afternoon, Cloud County would see the sophomore induce a groundout before striking out the final two batters of the contest to ensure the T-Birds no worse than a split of the series following their day one doubleheader sweep.
 
Just one player for CCCC would manage to record multiple hits in the contest with Anthony Taggart going two-for-three with six other T-Birds all recording one hit each. The leadoff home run by Schuyler in the bottom of the first would prove to be the only extra-base hit of the game for the T-Birds as six strikeouts and six runners left on base would wind up not costing Cloud County thanks to a shutdown performance from the Cloud County pitching staff.
 
Having a pair of pitchers toss three innings each, CCCC would see starter Carson Latimer throw three shutout innings and strike out five before having Blayne Fritcher take over and pick up his first victory of the year after adding four strikeouts and allowing just two hits in his three innings of work followed by another perfect seventh-inning from Askew for his second save of the year.
 
What's Next?
First pitch for a Sunday doubleheader is set for 12 PM as Cloud County and Marshalltown will conclude their four-game series with a pair of seven-inning contests. The T-Birds will look to match last year's four-game sweep of the Tigers while Marshalltown will seek their first win of the year and just their second win in the past four seasons against CCCC.