FORT SCOTT — Allen Community College’s postseason hopes were dealt a blow Thursday. A FOUR-RUN fifth inning was the pivotal moment in game 2.
Still just one game out of a potential Region VI playoff berth, the Red Devils were defeated twice Thursday, falling at Fort Scott, 12-0 and 6-3.
The losses drop the Red Devils to 6-24 in Region VI Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division play, tied with Labette and one game behind Highland (7-23).
The three teams are vying for the eighth and final playoff spot. Allen has six Region VI games, two more at home today against Fort Scott (first pitch is at 1 p.m.), and a four-game series beginning Thursday against Kansas City, Kan.
Highland hosts KCK today before taking on Johnson County for a four-game slate starting Thursday.
Labette opened a four-game series against Johnson County Friday (results were unavailable by press time), then takes on Cowley for its final Region VI series of the year.
Fort Scott (13-17) is virtually assured of a playoff spot. It sits in seventh in Jayhawk Conference East.
The Greyhounds jumped on ACC starter J.D. Prohaska at the outset, scoring two in the first and five in the second.
The Red Devils, meanwhile, were limited to three hits, singles by Levi Ashmore, Trever Kreifel and Trey Francis.
Prohaska took the loss. He gave up seven hits in 2 1/3 innings. Chris McPherson came on in relief, giving up six hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Fort Scott chased Allen starter Chase Cunningham with six hits in the frame to break open a 1-1 tie.
Allen led 1-0 with Sean Maruo’s sacrifice fly in the top of the second, scoring Cole Slusser, who had opened the frame with a double.
Fort Scott tied the score with a run in the bottom of the fourth.
Kreifel singled to lead off the sixth. He advanced to third on Austin Griffin’s single and scored on Cole Slusser’s sacrifice fly.
Slusser’s leadoff single in the ninth was followed by a hit-by-pitch, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. Sean Maruo reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Slusser, but Fort Scott’s Matt Peterson retired Ashmore on a fly ball to center to pick up the save.
Cunningham took the loss, giving up nine hits with a walk in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out six. Zachary Maskill came on in relief, giving up four hits in 3 2/3 innings with two walks and three strikeouts.
Kreifel went 3-for-4, while Slusser had two hits, including a double. Francis, Kyle Foster, Griffin and Clint Heffern each had singles.
Greyhounds take bite out of Allen’s playoff hopes
