'Hounds in thick of East race

HIGHLAND -- After a high-scoring day here Saturday and the results of other doubleheaders around the Jayhawk Conference, Fort Scott Community College's baseball team vaulted from fifth place into a four-way tie for second, just two games behind leader Neosho County.

Fort Scott (13-7 Eastern Division, 26-8 overall) swept last-place Highland 12-1 and 18-4. Meanwhile, Neosho County (15-5, 30-5) broke a first-place tie with Allen (13-7, 18-14) by sweeping the Red Devils 9-5 and 13-12.

Meanwhile, Kansas City and Cowley, which entered the day tied for third place, split doubleheaders with teams well below them in the standings. KCK (13-7, 25-11) split with seventh-place Labette and Cowley (13-7, 24-11) split with ninth-place Coffeyville despite winning the opening game of that twinbill 14-0.

The Greyhounds face Allen in conference play later this week. Fort Scott will host Thursday at 1 p.m. at Lions Field. The Red Devils will be the host in Iola at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Saturday's opener was just 1-0 after three innings with that run coming in the top of the second inning on a leadoff homer run by Nick Banman. Gabe Franklin's grand slam pushed the Greyhounds' lead to 5-0 after four. Danny Crews (walk), Mackay Williams (hit by a pitch) and Taylor Fajardo (bunt single) were on base for Franklin's smash.

Fort Scott scored 11 runs in the final four innings. Jedd Andrade hit a solo homer leading off the top of the sixth.

Andrade was 3 for 4 at the plate for the 'Hounds. Franklin and Andrew Tanous were each 2 for 4. Tanous also drove in 2 runs.

Miles Wagner (4-1) went the distance, allowing a solo homer as one of his 8 hits. He walked 2 and struck out 5.

Fort Scott scored 4 times in the top of the first inning of the second game. Jacob Biller and Franklin led off the game with back-to-back walks and moved up on a wild pitch. Tanous hit a one-out single to score Biller and Banman followed up with a 3-run homer, his ninth of the season.

The 'Hounds scored 14 runs from the third through the sixth innings. Among the scores were a 2-run homer from Darren Hasch in the third, a grand slam by Crews in the fifth and a 2-run shot by Tanous in the sixth.

Tanous was 5 for 5 at the plate, driving in 4 runs. Crews was 3 for 5, bringing home 6 runners, and Banman was 2 for 4 with 4 RBI.

Matt Hicks (5-0) went the first six innings on the hill. He allowed 2 earned runs on 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3.

The Greyhounds play a single nine-inning game versus Crowder College this afternoon at Neosho, Mo.

Game One

Highland................... 000 000 1 -- 1 8 1

WP -- Wagner (4-1). LP --Dungan (0-5).

HR -- Fort Scott: Banman (8, 2nd inn., none on, none out), Franklin (3, 4th inn., three on, 1 out), Andrade (5, 6th inn., none on, none out). Highland: Miller (3, 7th inn., none on, 1 out).

Game Two

Highland............... 020 001 1xx -- 4 7 0

WP -- Boehm (1-0). LP --Otto.

HR --Fort Scott: Banman (9, 1st inn., 2 on, 1 out), Hasch (1, 3rd inn., 1 on, 2 out), Crews (3, 5th inn., 3 on, 2 out), Tanous (3, 6th inn., 1 on, 1 out). Highland: Ruzicka (2, 6th inn., none on, none out).