JUCO BB: Allen Co.
Despite a Friday split to start off their series versus Kansas City Kansas Community College, the Red Devils saw their second conference series of the season slip away with two losses on Saturday.
With the 1-3 weekend, the Red Devils fall to 18-12 overall and an even 10-10 in league play. The Red Devils nearly fall out of the top-five of the conference after the weekend. They are tied at fifth with rival Neosho.
After a 12-0 loss opened things up on Friday, the Red Devils bounced back against their Blue counterparts with a 12-6 win.
Allen County fell behind 6-0 after the first five innings but in the bottom of the sixth, the Red Devil bats exploded for 11 runs. The Red Devils added another run for good measure in the bottom of the eighth.
First-baseman Sky-Lar Culver had three RBIs on one hit to lead the Red Devils offensively and center fielder Dylan Price drove in two runs of his own with one hit.
Right fielder Aaron Mason homered in the game, scoring just one run on his two hits.
Reliever Jared Cooper earned his first win, allowing just one run (unearned) on a hit with two strikeouts in the fifth and sixth innings.
KCK started things out the same way when both teams met again in Kansas City on Saturday. The Blue Devils got out to a 3-0 lead after the fourth inning and Allen County cut it to two with a run in the top of the fifth.
KCK plated three more runs in the bottom of the fifth and the Red Devils could only get one more run across before the end of the game.
Allen County recorded five hits, two of which came from right fielder Dylan Price. Starter Jacob Potter (1-3) earned the loss going 5.1 innings while allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and a walk. Potter struck out three batters and gave up a home run.
The series closer was a heartbreaker. Allen County scored five runs in the sixth and seventh inning to take a 5-1 lead all the way to the bottom of the ninth where the Red Devils allowed KCK to score five runs and take the game away.
Shortstop Baxter Mays led the team with three hits followed by two for Culver and Best.
Phipps and Culver both drove in two runs including a home run for Culver.
After a stellar seven innings from starter Austin Cross allowing just one run on five hits, reliever Coleton Crisp earned his first loss of the season allowing five runs on five hits including a home run in his 1.1 innings pitched.
The Red Devils will wrap up an exhibition series versus Ottawas junior varsity squad on Tuesday before traveling to Johnson County for the front half of a very important series on Thursday.
