Baseball | 4/29/2025 6:01:00 PM

Box Score The Cloud County Community College baseball team blew a two-run lead after walking four batters and giving up a two-run scoring single in the ninth inning, leading to an eventual 6-5 loss to the Southeast Community College Bobcats on Tuesday, April 29.

The two teams split their season series, after the T-Birds previously earned a 6-3 nine inning win over Southeast in Beatrice, Nebraska on April 8. The T-Birds have dropped to 38-14 overall with Tuesday's loss, while Southeast has improved to 27-18.

Cloud County broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the seventh after freshman Joey Marino recorded a two-run scoring double to center field, driving in sophomores Gannon White and Austin Coyle to give the T-Birds a 5-3 advantage.

The T-Birds had a chance to add to their run total in the bottom of the eighth, but were sat down in order by Bobcats freshman Gage Frederick.

Freshman Evan Bogart pitched four scoreless innings of no-hit ball for Cloud County, giving up just two walks to go with six strikeouts. Bogart also hit a batter in the top of the seventh.

After walking freshman Easton Norris to lead-off the ninth, Bogart was replaced by freshman closer Sam Brummund. Brummund issued walks to freshmen Jake Smolinski and Cole Carter, leading to an early exit with the bases loaded.

Redshirt freshman Hayden Malaise was called on to pitch in a tough position out of the bullpen. Malaise struck out freshman Gabe Dalton for the first out of the ninth. Malaise then gave up the fourth base on balls of the inning, walking Kam Arrington to score Norris, allowing Southeast to trim Cloud County's lead to 5-4.

After freshman Jack Hogan popped out to Marino in the infield, freshman Jacob Perrin connected on a single to center field that scored Smolinski and Carter to put the Bobcats ahead 6-5.

Malaise struck out the next batter, freshman Peyton Moore, to close out the ninth.

Cloud County had an opportunity to respond in the bottom of the ninth but they were retired in order. The loss marks the second home loss in the last three home games for the T-Birds, who are now 19-5 at home this season.

Southeast opened the game scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Cloud County got on the board in the bottom half of the first when White doubled to left before advancing to third base on a throwing error. White then scampered home on a passed ball for the first run for the T-Birds.

Cloud County tied the game at 3-all in the bottom of the second inning when Coyle ripped a two-out hit up the middle, driving in freshman Vasya Seymour and sophomore Noah Konings.

Coyle finished 2-for-5 with one run scored and two RBI. Marino led the T-Birds at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Freshman Tony Crow was 2-for-4 on the afternoon. White added a double with two runs scored.

Up next, Cloud County will conclude the regular season with a four-game conference series against Garden City Community College. The first two games will be played at Lee Doyen Field in Concordia on Thursday, May 1, beginning at 2 pm. The final two games will be played on Saturday, May 3 at 2 pm at Williams Stadium in Garden City, Kansas.

The Broncbusters enter the series at 22-29 overall and 8-20 in KJCCC play. The T-Birds have won 12 straight in the series, dating back to 2022.