'Hounds drop 3 in series

OVERLAND PARK -- Fort Scott Community College's baseball team played four games in two days here Tuesday and Wednesday in an effort with opponent Johnson County to avoid having their first two Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division doubleheaders of the season affected by the forecasted inclement weather predicted for the weekend. The teams agreed to play both doubleheaders here. They were originally scheduled to be held here Thursday and at Lions Field Saturday.

Tuesday's games resulted in 14-4 and 16-4 wins for Johnson County. The Greyhounds (1-3 East, 4-6 overall) led 4-2 after 2 1/2 innings but the Cavaliers scored 12 runs in the final four innings before the 10-run rule kicked in.

Josh Wisler was 2 for 3 for Fort Scott, which had 9 hits. Anthony Miller was 4 for 4 with 6 runs batted in for Johnson County, ranked No. 7 in the NJCAA Division I pre-season poll. Miller hit two home runs for the Cavaliers.

Wisler was also 2 for 3 in the second game, driving in 2 runs. L.J. Hatch was 4 for 5 with 4 RBI for Johnson County, which scored in every inning but the fifth. Sean Ulrich was 2 for 3 with 5 RBIs.

Though Wednesday's games were played in Overland Park as well, Fort Scott was the designated home team. Johnson County won the first game, 8-6, but the 'Hounds won the second game, 5-4, to hand the Cavaliers (3-1, 10-1) their first defeat of the season.

Johnson scored 6 runs in the top of the fourth inning of the opener to go up 8-3. The 'Hounds scored twice in the bottom of the fourth and once in the seventh.

Kaden Schaffer led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run but Cavalier pitcher Derek Hurt struck out the next two batters and got the final out on a grounder to first.

Shaffer and Trey Hair were each 2 for 4 for Fort Scott while Jake Harvey was 2 for 3.

Fort Scott led the second game 4-1 after three before withstanding a Johnson County rally. Jake Dyer was 2 for 3 at the plate for the Greyhounds.

Matt Hicks pitched the first 6 innings for Fort Scott, allowing one run on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 4.

The Greyhounds will play a doubleheader on the road against the Ottawa University junior varsity on Tuesday. They'll also play a Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division doubleheader at Cowley in Arkansas City Thursday before returning to Lions Park for a home division twinbill with Cowley on March 7.

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Tuesday's games

Game One

Fort Scott................. 004 000 x -- 4 9 3

Johnson County............. 202 514 x -- 14 14 2

Two out when game ended.

WP -- McHugh. LP -- Tolbert (1-1).

HR -- Johnson County: Miller 2 (1st inn., 1 on, 1 out; 4th inn., 1 on, 1 out), Calvano (4th inn., 2 on, none out), Alvarez (6th inn., none on, none out).

Game Two

Fort Scott................. 020 010 1 -- 4 8 2

Johnson County............. 354 202 x -- 16 13 2

WP -- Wyant. LP -- Pierce (0-1).

HR -- Johnson County: Ulrich (1st inn., 2 on, none out), Calvano (2nd inn., 1 on, 1 out).

Wednesday's games

Game One

Johnson County............. 200 600 0 -- 8 9 1

Fort Scott................. 102 200 1 -- 6 9 2

WP -- Hurt. LP -- Westfahl (1-1).

HR -- Johnson County: Calvano (1st inn., none on, none out), Miller (1st inn., none on, 2 out), Ulrich (4th inn., 1 on, 1 out). Fort Scott: Shaffer (2, 7th inn., none on, none out).

Game Two

Johnson County........ 000 001 012 -- 4 7 1

Fort Scott............ 100 020 11x -- 5 7 2

WP -- Hicks (1-0). LP -- Roblez. SV -- Peterson (2).

HR -- Johnson County: Miller (6th inn., none on, 2 out).