HIGHLAND — Val McLean saw there needed to be change on the mound. Allen County Community College’s head baseball coach went to the bullpen to find starters.
“We were walking too many opposing hitters. That’s why we are a .500 ball club right now,” McLean said.
The change did the team some good. It swept a Jayhawk Eastern Division doubleheader on the road.
David Ormiston righted his ship as a Red Devil starter on Thursday. He limited Highland Community College’s Scotties to just five hits in going the full seven innings. He only walked one and struck out seven in an 8-5 ACCC win.
Allen County’s offense found some life too. Brayden Brumley hit a solo home run to lead off the third inning as ACCC trailed 2-0.
Ryan Fike doubled followed by Connor McCrite with a single. Bryce Williams singled with two gone and Allen County had a 3-2 lead.
The Scotties scored three runs in the fifth to regain a 5-3 lead. Brumley, who was 4-for-5 in the game, and Fike had back-to-back base hits to open the sixth. A single by Marcus Peavler helped the Red Devils score two runs.
Fike broke the 5-5 tie with a two-out, three-run home run in the seventh. Michael Schell and Michael Samuel had draw walks ahead of Fike.
All in all, Allen County had 14 hits in the game. Brumley had three singles and a home run while Fike singled, doubled and homered. Peavler and Williams each had two singles.
Hitting a single each were McCrite, Schell and Samuel.
Bryan Couch had been coming of the ACCC bullpen. He threw a three-hitter against Highland as the Red Devils won 18-1 in five innings. Couch walked three, hit two batters and struck out six.
Highland’s only run came on a home run by Adam McCormick. Allen County had 19 hits — six went for extra bases.
The Red Devils strung together singles in the first inning to score five runs. In the third inning, five hits including two doubles help plate five more runs.
Wyatt Hall doubled and scored on a single by Fike in the fourth. That made it 11-1.
Fike had a two-run double and Brad Alberts hit a three-run home run to highlight a seven-run fifth inning.
Fike had three singles and a double in the game while McCrite hit two singles and two doubles. Alberts had the home run and a base hit.
Hall connected for two doubles. Brumley, Williams and Schell had two base hits apiece. Peavler had a base hit.
The double win pushed Allen County to 9-9 in Jayhawk East play. The are 15-13 overall and sitting in fifth place in the conference.
Today, Johnson County, which sits atop the Jayhawk East, is at Red Devil Field. Game time is 1 o’clock.
Red Devils sweep past Scotties
