The Abilene Cowboys ended their regular season at home on Friday evening against the visiting Wamego Red Raiders, and in doing so they earned a split by winning game one 7-5, and losing game two 6-10.   

For Abilene seniors Thomas Keener, Tyler Holloway, and Cole Veal it marked their final home games, and all three were recognized in between games for their commitment and dedication to the program during their high school playing careers.  

Besides the senior recognition, the highlight of the night would come when the Cowboys would regain the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning that was spearheaded by sophomore Jake Bartley’s fourth home run of the season. Bartley’s home run would tie the game.  Levi Evans would then connect on a bases loaded 2 RBI single, and Keener would follow with an RBI single that would prove to be enough offense the remainder of the game to hold on for the victory.

In the opening game, Abilene would fall behind 2-0 early after starting pitcher Levi Evans would walk three batters, and give up a couple of base hit singles.  The lead would be short lived as in the bottom of the first inning, the Cowboys would take a 3-2 lead as they would take advantage of a couple of Red Raider errors along with a Bartley RBI single.   

Both teams would go scoreless in the second and third innings before Wamego would once again score a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning to regain the lead 4-3. Keener would enter the game to pitch with two outs in the top of the fourth inning and record the final out to stop any more damage with runners on the bases.

Abilene would then for all purposes win the game in the bottom of the fifth inning as they would score four runs to take a 7-4 lead. The Bartley solo shot home run over the right field fence to lead off the inning would tie the game at 4-4.  

The rally would begin as the bases would then be loaded on a Heath Hoekman single, an earned walk by Holloway, and batter Nolan Wilkins was hit by a pitch.  The three-run lead would then be added when a Levi Evans two- RBI single to right field, and Keener’s RBI single would finish the Cowboys scoring.  

Keener would then continue to pitch effectively to close out the game and earn the victory for Abilene.  He would give up only one earned run the remainder of the game in the top of the sixth inning to record the 7-5 victory.

In game two, Abilene would not be able to recover after giving up eight runs in two innings in both the top of the third and fourth innings that would lead to a 6-10 loss.  The Cowboys would virtually be gifted an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Wamego would walk three batters, commit an error, and have a dropped third strike that would lead to a run.  

The Red Raiders would finally find success at the plate and score some runs against Abilene senior starting pitcher Cole Veal in the top of the third inning by tying the game 3-3.  A Holloway RBI single to left field would drive in Bartley and temporarily regain the lead for Abilene 4-3.  

Holloway would then enter the game pitching in the top of the fourth inning, and Wamego would retake the lead by sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring five runs for an 8-3 lead.  The lead would end up holding as Abilene would score only a single run in the bottom of the fourth inning on a Bartley RBI single, and sixth inning on a Bartley RBI double that would lead to the 10-6 final.

The Cowboys now 14-10 on the season will now await their postseason assignment while other teams in the 4A West division still have games to play this upcoming week.  

Wamego 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 -5-8-2 Abilene   3 0 0 0 4 0 x -7-9-1

RBI – Oviatt 2, Mayer, Derouchey, Moody; Keener, Bartley 2, L. Evans 2.

SB – H. Hoekman, L. Evans

L. Evans 3.2IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 8BB, 2KO

Keener 3.1IP, 4H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 5KO

Braun 4.1IP 7H 7R 5ER 2BB 2SO

Kearn  1.2IP 1H 0R 0R 2BB 1KO

Wamego 0 0 3 5 1 0 1 – 10-8-2 Abilene   3 0 1 1 0 1 0  – 6-6-2

RBI – Kearn,Gallagher,Oviatt,Blume, Derouchey 3, Moody; Bartley 2, Holloway, Wilkins.

C. Veal 3IP, 3H 3R, 1ER, 1BB, 1KO

T. Holloway  1IP, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, 0KO

L. Hoekman 3IP, 1H, 2R, 1ER, 5BB, 5KO

Mayer 4IP 3H 5R 2ER 5BB 8SO

Derouchey 3IP 3H 1R 1ER 3BB 3SO