EL DORADO — The Allen Community College baseball team had their season come to an end against Butler Community College in an ugly way in the Region VI First Round playoff series Friday.
The Red Devils (25-29; 13-19) pitching was bashed with six runs in the first inning, 10 runs in the second and four more runs in the third in a lopsided 20-8 loss to Butler. When Allen responded with a four-run inning in the fifth, it was too little, too late.
Allen scored in the top of the first inning when Cade Schupp singled to left field to plate Carson Shepherd for the early 1-0 lead.
The Grizzlies answered with six runs in the bottom of the first inning beginning with Hayden Dyer belting a two-run home run to left center field for the 2-1 advantage. Markus Hamre then singled to center field to plate Brock Kuehler for the 3-1 lead.
Allen’s Jack Bland (4-2) started on the mound and lasted one inning, surrendering the six runs on five hits while serving up two home runs. Nic Bessecker then recorded one out in relief in the second inning after allowing four runs on one hit with two walks.
Brock Toothaker then singled to left center which brought home Hamre for the 4-1 edge. Butler’s Cole Murrell put the finishing touches on the first inning explosion with a two-run homer to straight away center which put Allen in a 6-1 hole.
Butler’s 10-run second inning was sparked by a Kuehler bases loaded walk to take a 7-1 lead and ended on a, funny enough, Kuehler bases loaded walk to make it 16-1 in the second. Hamre mashed a three-run home run to take a 10-1 lead in the inning as well.
Red Devil Jack Neill couldn’t record an out in the second inning and gave up six runs on four hits with three walks. Hunter Heavener also couldn’t figure out Butler’s lineup, failing to record an out in the second and walking two batters.
Reed Jensen then pitched one inning and surrendered two runs on two walks.
The Grizzlies added one more run in the third for the 20-1 lead before Allen scored seven runs in the final four innings but it was nowhere near enough to mount any sort of comeback.
Allen’s Brayden Thompson tossed the final 3.2 frames and served up two runs on two hits and walked six Butler batters. Thompson also recorded seven strikeouts.
Schupp ripped a solo homer in the fourth and a three-run home run in the sixth for a two-homer day for the Red Devil.
Then when Ethan Nissen sent a two-run homer to left field in the top of the seventh inning, it gave the Red Devils their final score of a 20-8 loss.
Schupp drove in a team-high five runs while Nissen knocked home another two runs. Schupp also had a team-high three hits, part of Allen’s 10-hit afternoon. Butler went for a total of 12 hits and 16 walks at the plate.
Butler will face off against Fort Scott in the Region VI playoffs in Wichita on Wednesday.
