ARKANSAS CITY — Allen Community College’s return to the diamond carried a dramatic flair Saturday.
The Red Devils, coming off a 13-day quarantine because of COVID-19 protocols, rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth to defeat host Cowley College, 4-3, to salvage a split in the teams’ doubleheader.
Lukas Rich drove in three, including the game-tying single with one out in the top of the ninth. His line drive single to right drove in Jonah Weisler to tie the score at 3-3.
The Red Devils then loaded the bases with two outs, when the Tigers shortstop failed to cleanly field a chopper up the middle off the bat of Damon Burroughs. The error allowed Levi Bennett to score from third, giving ACC the lead.
Bennett, who started at second base, was then called on to close out the game from the mound.
He pitched around some hard luck in the bottom of the ninth when Cowley’s Gus Freeman hit a ground ball that hit the bag and bounced over Red Devil third baseman Kurt Golubski for a double.
Undeterred, Bennett retired the final two batters on a ground ball and strikeout to pick up the save.
The victory offered a bit of redemption for Allen, who dropped Saturday’s opener, 9-3, and now stands at 17-5 on the year.
The Red Devils return to action Thursday for a twin bill at Labette. The game was moved to Parsons because Allen’s field remains unavailable because of an ongoing turf installation project.
AFTER rolling through the opener, Cowley broke out to a 3-0 lead after four innings of the nightcap before Rich belted a two-run home run in the top of the fifth. The blast drove in Josh Prinner, who had opened the frame with a single.
Meanwhile, Red Devil relievers Slade Renfrow, Luke Carter, Brian Beers and the aforementioned Bennett fended off a number of Cowley challenges to pad its lead.
Beers worked out of a bases loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the seventh with a strikeout and ground ball. He then wiggled off the hook in the bottom of the eighth after an error and walk put Tiger runners at first and second.
Combined with starter Paxton Bryan, Red Devil hurlers gave up a combined six hits with eight strikeouts and three walks.
Rich singled and homered. Khyle Radcliffe had a double, while Alec Roberts, Burroughs and John Satterfield all had singles.
COWLEY took control of the opener in the bottom of the third, scoring five runs on only two hits, with an error, a hit batsman and three walks playing a big part in the outburst.
Meanwhile, Rich had an RBI single for ACC in the top of the first, but the Red Devils left the bases loaded without any more damage.
