'Hounds move up despite series split

A split of their weekend series with last-place Allen was not what Fort Scott Community College's baseball team was looking for in the Greyhounds' quest to finish with the best seed possible in the upcoming Region VI Tournament. But thanks to Johnson County, the 'Hounds finished the weekend in better position than they were going in.

The Greyhounds were in seventh place in the Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division after a Thursday split at Iola. Saturday at Lions Field, the Greyhounds won the first game of a Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division doubleheader from the Red Devils, 6-3, but were shut out in the second game, 4-0.

But while Fort Scott (12-16 East, 23-21 overall) was splitting its weekend series with Allen, Labette was swept in its series with second-place Johnson County, 7-3 and 5-2 on Thursday and 19-9 and 14-4 on Saturday, to fall into a tie for sixth with the Greyhounds at 12-16, 18-18.

In the first conference series of the season versus Johnson County (22-6, 36-8), Fort Scott won the last game of the four-game set. Thus, the 'Hounds hold a tie-breaker over Labette, with which FSCC split the season series. Fort Scott and Labette are each one game behind Coffeyville (13-15, 20-24) and Kansas City (13-15, 24-17), the former of which holds the tie-breaker for fourth place because the Red Ravens have a win over leader Cowley (25-3, 36-3) while KCK is 0-4 against the Tigers.

Each team in the division has two four-game Thursday-Saturday series remaining. This week, Fort Scott hosts third-place Neosho County Thursday and travels there Saturday. Labette will be at home against Cowley Thursday and go there Saturday. Coffeyville's conference series this week is versus ninth-place Independence (9-19, 18-27), which is two games behind Highland (11-17, 13-26). Kansas City will be playing Allen. And Highland, over which Fort Scott holds a tie-breaker, is pitted against Johnson County.

Fort Scott had to rally to win Saturday's opener after Allen scored twice in the top of the sixth inning to takw a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Jake Harvey started things off with a single to center, then moved to second on a throwing error by Allen's center fielder. Nick Banman followed with an RBI double, then scored the go-ahead run on Dalton Rook's bunt single. While Rook was thrown out trying to get to second after Harvey scored, Trey Hair continued the rally by reaching base on an error. Jedd Andrade and Kaden Shaffer drew consecutive walks. Jake Whisler singled to right to plate both Shaffer and Andrade.

Fort Scott had 7 base hits, one each by seven players. Matt Peterson (2-3) pitched 5 innings or relief, allowing 2 unearned runs on 3 hits. He didn't walk anyone and struck out 3.

Matt Hicks (3-3), who the Greyhounds have turned to as their fourth-game ace this season, was unable to hold Allen in game two, allowing 3 earned runs on 7 hits in six-plus innings. The Devils scored 3 times in the top of the seventh.

Andrade was 3 for 4 at the plate while Shaffer was 2 for 4. Fort Scott had 2 on with 2 out in the bottom of the eighth after Andrade and Shaffer had back-to-back hits but couldn't capitalize. There was no other inning in which the 'Hounds had more than one baserunner.

Thursday's first game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.

The 'Hounds were scheduled to play the Baker University junior varsity at Baldwin City on Monday. However, according to the team's page on GameChanger. that was cancelled.

Game One

Fort Scott....... 200 004 x -- 6 7 1

WP -- Peterson (2-3). LP -- Wilson (3-3).

HR -- None.

Game Two

Fort Scott....... 000 000 000 -- 0 7 1

WP -- Musser (3-3). LP -- Hicks (3-3).

HR -- None.