'Hounds salvage split, playoff berth

Fort Scott's Darren Hasch drove in 2 runs with this hit in the bottom of the fourth inning of Saturday's first game of a doubleheader with Kansas City at Lions Field. They were the only runs scored in a 9-2 defect although the Greyhounds bounced back to win game two, 6-5, as Hasch had two more hits. (Scott Nuzum/Tribune)

Salvaging a Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division doubleheader with Kansas City Kansas at Lions Field Saturday afternoon allowed Fort Scott Community College's baseball team to clinch a berth in the Region VI post-season tournament.

Second-place Kansas City won the opener, 9-2, to clinch the season series, 3-1, and send the Greyhounds to their ninth consecutive conference defeat. But Fort Scott rallied and then held on to win game two, 6-5.

The win put the 'Hounds at 16-16 in the division (32-17 overall). This means that even if they lose all four games next week versus third-place Johnson County (Thursday at Lions Field, Saturday at Overland Park), the worst they can finish is eighth. Coffeyville was in ninth place going into a Sunday doubleheader at Labette with an 8-22 conference record. The most conference losses Fort Scott can finish with are 20.

The Greyhounds still have a chance to pass Allen and finish fifth. The higher Fort Scott finishes, the better match-up they'll have against a Western Division team in the first round. Fifth is the highest the 'Hounds can attain, so they will certainly be on the road in that first-round series.

Fort Scott also wants to avoid dropping below Independence (and Labette). Indy is in seventh place at 13-19, 22-28 and Labette is eighth at 11-20, 18-23. Ninth-place Coffeyville (9-22, 15-34) can still overtake Independence or Labette for a playoff berth but can't finish ahead of Fort Scott as the Red Ravens are six games behind with four to go.

Fifth-place Allen faces fourth-place Cowley in the final weekend of conference play while Labette and Independence will be playing each other.

Travis Stroup hit two home runs for KCK (22-10, 34-15) in the opener. He hit one in the top of the first following a Conor Behrens double to give the Blue Devils a 2-0 lead. In the sixth, he belted the first pitch reliever Avery Boehm delivered over the left-field fence for another 2-run shot that was part of a 4-run inning that boosted Kansas City's lead to 9-2.

Both of Fort Scott's runs scored in the bottom of the fourth. Andrew Tanous hit a lead-off double and Nick Banman drew a walk. They scored on Darren Hasch's 2-out single.

Jedd Andrade had 2 hits for the 'Hounds. Behrens had 3 for KCK while Stroup and Ryan Fisher each had 2.

Jake Purl (8-1) allowed 5 hits and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts as he went the distance for KCK. Ryan McCullough (6-3) took his second straight loss after allowing 7 runs, 6 earned, on 8 hits and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts in the first 5 2/3 innings.

Fort Scott scored first in game two when Jake Biller doubled with one out and scored on a 2-out single by Danny Crews. KCK got that back in the top of the third when Daulton Smith hit a leadoff single, moved to third on a Easton Fortuna single and came in on a double-play ball.

The Devils took a 3-1 lead in the fourth. Stroup and Eli Lovell hit back-to-back singles to lead things off. Fisher followed with another hit to plate Stroup. Drew Holtgrieve bunted and Chase Redick's fielder's choice allowed Lovell to come home.

The Greyhounds tied it in the bottom half of the fourth. Gabe Franklin hit a one-out solo homer, his seventh of the season. Then Mackay Williams singled and stole second. Harrison Whitworth's 2-out single up the middle scored Williams.

Kansas City reclaimed the lead in the sixth on back-to-back doubles by Stroup and Lovell. Fort Scott went in front in the bottom of the seventh. Hasch led off with a single, then Whitworth was hit by a pitch. Andrade followed with a base hit to load the bases.

Biller struck out and Tanous grounded out to the pitcher but that allowed Hasch to score. Crews then hit a single up the middle to bring in Whitworth and Andrade to make it 6-4.

Behrens hit a solo homer with one out in the top of the eighth to bring KCK within 6-5. That was the only hit reliever Nick Sloan allowed in two innings of work as he pitched up his first save of the season. He struck out four Blue Devils.

Sloan's save allowed Matt Hicks (6-2) to get the win. He allowed 4 runs on 10 hits but didn't walk anyone in seven innings of work. He struck out 2.

Crews and Hasch were the only 'Hounds with 2 hits in game two. Behrens, Stroup, Lovell and Fisher had 2 each for KCK.

Thursday's home games against Johnson County are scheduled for a 1 p.m. start at Lions Field.

Game One

Fort Scott.......... 000 200 0 -- 2 5 3

WP -- Purl (8-1). LP -- McCullough (6-3).

HR -- Kansas City: Stroup 2 (10, 1st inn., 1 on, 1 out; 6th inn., 1 on, 2 out).

Game Two

Fort Scott..... 100 200 30x -- 6 9 0

WP -- Hicks (6-2). LP -- Fliger (7-1). Sv. -- Sloan (1).

HR -- Kansas City: Behrens (8, 8th inn., none on, 1 out). Fort Scott: Franklin (7, 4th inn., none on, 1 out).