Two close games went Allen’s way on Saturday but Sunday’s doubleheader was swept by visiting Coffeyville Community College.
Allen Community College’s Red Devils rallied to notch wins of 5-4 and 7-6 against the Red Ravens in the first two of the Jayhawk Eastern Division four-game series over the weekend. The Red Ravens pounded out the hits against ACC on Sunday for victories of 8-1 and an 11-0.
The split of the four games left Allen at 8-12 in conference play. Allen played at Butler Community College in El Dorado Wednesday losing 8-1 in a single nine-inning contest.
Allen (14-19) plays its four-game series at Independence Community College Friday and Saturday because of Easter weekend.
Zak Mickens, sophomore right-hander, has become a steady No. 1 starter on the mound for ACC this spring. He went another complete game, despite giving up 12 hits to the Red Ravens.
Allen County rallied from a 4-0 deficit with a run in the third and four runs in the fourth inning. That’s all Mickens needed as he and the Red Devil defense shut down Coffeyville for five straight innings. He worked out of a two-on situation in the top of the seventh by getting batter to line into a 5-4 double play.
Mickens hit two batters and walked one. He struck out five and improved his pitching mark to 4-3 for the season.
Sky Buskyhead drove in four of the five runs for Allen. He had an RBI single in the third after Eric Seymour doubled. In the fourth inning, Travis Stafford led off with a solo home run. Allen had the bases loaded with one out and Bushyhead doubled to drive in three runs.
Seymour had a single along with his double. Garrett Rasch, Caleb Wilburn and Kyle Johnston each had a single.
Coffeyville pushed out to a 6-1 lead through five innings in the second game. Then Allen made its push.
Tim Lewis drew a walk and Rasch singled to open the sixth inning. Stafford cranked out a three-run home run over the right field fence then Wilburn went yard over the left field fence. The Red Devils were within one, 6-5.
In the seventh inning with one gone, Lewis and Rasch got things started again with back-to-back singles. Stafford doubled in the tying run and Wilburn was intentionally walked to load the bases. Kyle Fultz worked a two-out base-on-balls to force in the winning run.
Stafford had a home run and two doubles while driving in four runs. Wilburn homered. Rasch had two singles. Lewis, Johnston and Fultz each had a base hit.
Lucas Westervelt picked up his first pitching win of the season in relief of starter Brodie Mitchell. Mitchell worked six innings and was charged with six runs on nine hits and two walks. He struck out six. Westervelt pitched one inning with no runs or hits but did hit a batter.
Coffeyville led 3-1 after four innings of Sunday’s first game. The Red Ravens kept the Red Devils at bay while added two more runs in the fifth and three in the sixth for the 8-1 win.
