HIGHLAND — Traveling to northeast Kansas for two doubleheaders with Highland Community College, the Cloud County Community College Thunderbird baseball team swept the Scotties.
In game one, the T-Birds won 18-3.
Both offenses started the game rolling, with both teams scoring two runs in the first inning. Cloud put the game away in the second inning, scoring nine runs on five hits, including a four-run home run by Nolan Freund, and a three-run homer by Lucas Laukkanen.
The T-Birds continued to pour it on with seven runs on eight hits in the fourth, including another Freund homer. Highland finally scored in the bottom of the fourth as the T-Birds took game one 18-3.
Stocton Timbrook (2-1) earned the win with three runs allowed on six hits with five strikeouts.
In game two, the T-Birds won 10-5.
Cloud kept the offensive momentum with a quick 3-0 lead after one inning, thanks to back-to-back home runs. The Scotties tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the third, thanks to a two-run homer before Cloud countered with three runs in the top of the fourth.
Highland hit another two-run homer in the fourth inning to make it a 6-5 ballgame, before Cloud scored three runs in the fifth to take a 9-5 lead. The T-Birds would pick up an insurance run in the sixth to take game two.
Cole Linton earned his first win of the season.
In game three, the T-Birds won 11-2.
Picking up a run in the first and fourth innings, including a Carter Cathers homer in the fourth, it wouldn’t be until the sixth inning when the offense came alive. Scoring six runs in the sixth, then three runs in the seventh to take an 11-0 lead, the Scotties would get two runs in the bottom of the seventh to avoid the shutout.
Caden Marcum (4-2) earned the win with three hits allowed with eight strikeouts.
In game four the T-Birds won 14-4.
The Scotties scored first with a solo run in the second inning, but the T-Birds would counter with four runs in the top of the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Another Scottie solo run in the fifth would be neutralized with 10 runs in the top of the sixth by Cloud. Thanks to many Highland mistakes on the mound, Cloud took a 14-2 lead. Two more Highland runs in the bottom of the sixth ended the game and Cloud extended its winning streak to eight.
Cohen Nelson (4-1) earned the win with one run allowed on four hits.
In a quick trip to Nebraska for a standalone game, the T-Birds defeated Southeast Community College 6-3.
The T-Birds hit first and hit hard, scoring five runs in the second inning to take a quick 5-0 lead. Another run in the third would put Cloud up six. Four scoreless innings later, Southeast would get on the board and make it a game, scoring three runs to make it a 6-3 game. The T-Bird offense couldn’t give more of a cushion, but the defense would hold strong and keep the Bobcats off the board to secure the 6-3 win.
Myles Chamberlain (2-0) earned the win, pitching a season-high six shutout innings after starting pitcher Tyler Elliot left in the first inning with an injury.
Nolan Freund had one run scored on two hits.
Noah Konings, Joey Marino, Kaden Budke, and Tony Crow each had one run scored on one hit, with Crow having four RBIs.
