CONCORDIA, Kan. – Allen Community College Baseball started off the NJCAA Region VI Playoffs on the right foot, beating Cloud County in game one 4-1.
Jack Bland got the start on the mound, throwing 8 full innings allowing just six hits and one run while striking out five. Saul Bolivar entered in the 9th and picked up his second save of the year, throwing two K’s in the frame.
Offensively, the Red Devils started strong in the 4th with a lead-off home run by Armando Navarro deep to right field to make it 1-0. The Thunderbirds answered back in the bottom half with a two-out walk followed by a double to tie the game. The T-Birds would later load the bases, but Bland got out of the inning allowing just the lone run.
Logan Martin then led off the 5th with a double and was driven home on an RBI single by Garrett Rusch, putting Allen up 2-1. They then tacked on some insurance with an RBI single by Colton Ayres in the 6th and a solo home run by Rusch in the 9th.
The Red Devils will look to take the series Friday, May 10 at 2 p.m. If Cloud County wins, there will be a season-deciding Game 3 Saturday, May 11 at 2 p.m. Both games are played at Cloud County CC in Concordia.
