Coffeyville Sets School Record For Conference Wins With Victory Over Cowley

May 1, 2012

Dustin Hurlbutt, shown from a game earlier this season, pitched a complete game, allowing just one run in the Ravens 9-1 win on Monday in a doubleheader played in Emporia. The victory set a new school record for conference wins in a season for Coffeyville with 22.

It took three days, two venues and one ark, but Coffeyville and Cowley finally got their regular season finale series completed on Monday at Emporia State University. After winning the first two games in Coffeyville on Saturday, the Ravens won the overall series 3-1 by splitting a doubleheader on Monday, losing the first game 3-2, but winning game two, 9-1, setting a new school record for conference wins in a season with 22.

The two teams were scheduled to complete the series on Sunday in Coffeyville, but nearly two inches of rain fell on Walter Johnson Park late Saturday night. Emporia State was gracious enough to allow the teams to complete the series on their artificial surface, and a good decision it was to move the games from Coffeyville as another 6+ inches fell on the city Sunday and Monday nights.

Back to the games on Monday, Cowley won the opening contest 3-2. The Tigers got all their runs in the first innning off of starter Mike Neighbors. After allowing three runs and four hits in the first, Neighbors settled down and retired 13 straight batters until walking Mike Parker in the sixth. Parker had the big blow in the first, a two-run homer to left. Neighbors would allow back-to-back, two-out singles in the seventh, but would complete the game for the Ravens. Neighbors allowed six hits, two walks and struck out three over seven innings.

The Ravens got a run in the second on Alex Wilson's sacrifice fly to score Luke Slagle. The Ravens were held scoreless until they made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh.

Slagle doubled to lead off the inning and he advanced to third on John Branum's ground out to second. Wilson drove in his second run of the game with a single to score Slagle. Robbie Hoffman followed with a single and the Ravens had two runners on with just one out. The runners advanced to second and third on Spencer Booe's grounder to second. The comeback attempted ended on Jordan Hodges' strikeout.

The Ravens, though, would run away from the Tigers in game two. The Ravens got off to a quick start in support of starter Dustin Hurlbutt. Adam Valencia walked to start the bottom of the first. Cole Webb followed with a two-run dinger to center to put the Ravens ahead 2-0. Cowley would cut the lead in half with a run in the top of the fifth, but Coffeyville would answer with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Adam Valencia singled home Luis Munoz who led off the inning with a single for the first run. Webb drove in his third run of the game with a single that scored Aric Valencia who reached on an error. Branum's sacrifice fly to score Adam Valencia drove in the third run of the inning, putting the Ravens ahead 5-1.

The Ravens would add four more runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach. Hoffman and Munoz singled to lead off the inning and one out later, Hodges walked to load the bases. Adam Valencia walked to force home a run. Booe drove in two runs with a pinch hit single. Slagle ended the scoring with a sacrifice fly that drove in the fourth run of the inning and gave Coffeyville a 9-1 lead.

Hurlbutt went the distance to collect his fourth win of the season. Hurlbutt allowed five hits, one walk and struck out seven.

Coffeyville finished conference play with a school record 22 wins. The previous record was 21 wins in 2010. The Ravens now have a 28-27 overall mark and are just one win away from the school record for overall wins in a season. The record of 29 overall season wins was also set in 2010.

Coffeyville will have a chance Tuesday to tie the season mark with a final non-conference game against Barton County. The game will be played at Emporia State starting at 1 p.m. The Ravens are the fourth seed from the Jayhawk East.

The Ravens will travel to Liberal for sub-region play starting Saturday. The Ravens first game will be against Colby starting at 4 p.m.