The Abilene Cowboys baseball team had their season come to an end in the opening game of the 4A State Baseball Tournament at Dean Evans Stadium in Salina with a 4-2 loss to the Fort Scott Tigers.  

The Tigers would get a complete game victory from starting pitcher Dub Chipman who threw 85 pitches in the game. Fort Scott would also take advantage of three unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning, that was aided by a pair of uncharacteristic throwing errors by the Abilene defense.  

After a scoreless first inning,  Cowboys senior starting pitcher Thomas Keener would give up three base hit singles, and along with the two errors by the defense, would lead to a Tigers 3-0 lead after two complete innings.

Abilene would then answer in the top of the third inning with a pair of runs that would cut the lead to 3-2. The scoring in the inning would begin with Keener being hit by a pitch for the second time in the game to take first base.   

Junior Kaden Thrower would then double to left field that would place runners at second and third base.   Jake Bartley would then drive in the first run of the game for the Cowboys with a sacrifice fly to center field that would score Keener.  An RBI double to left field by junior Heath Hoekman would then score Thrower for the second run of the game by Abilene.  

Keener pitching his final inning in the bottom of the third would hold Fort Scott scoreless to finish his day on the mound.

 Sophomore Jake Bartley would then enter the game in the fourth inning, and would give up a single run that would increase the Tigers lead to 4-2. That 4-2 score would holp up as the final,  as with both pitchers throwing effectively neither team would  score the remainder of the game.

The Cowboys would finish their season with a 16-11 overall record, and their fourth straight appearance in the state tournament.    It also marked the last game for Seniors Thomas Keener, Tyler Holloway, and Cole Veal.  

Abilene           0 0 2 0 0 0 0 -2-5-2

Fort Scott       0 3 0 1 0 0 x – 4-7-0

2B – H. Hoekman, Thrower, Keener

RBI – Bartley, H. Hoekman; Chipman, Marbery.

Keener      3IP, 6H, 3R, 0ER, 2BB, 0SO

Bartley      3IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 4BB, 2SO

Chipman    7IP, 5H, 2 R, 2ER, 0BB,5SO