Red Devils tame Lions on diamond

Allen Community College wasted little time taking control of its doubleheader opener against visiting Brown Mackie Tuesday afternoon.
Four ACC runs in the bottom of the first gave the Red Devils a lead they never relinquished in a 9-6 victory.
Allen took a while longer in the nightcap.
Brown Mackie starter Tyler Roberts allowed just one hit through the first three innings before ACC found its stride in the fourth.
Clint Heffern’s run-scoring single broke a 1-1 deadlock, while Geoffrey Bourque and Zachary Maskill starred on the mound in a 4-1 victory.
The sweep gives ACC a 5-6 record as it prepares to take on Cowley for a four-game set starting Thursday afternoon at home.
The Red Devils host Cowley for two games starting at 3 p.m. Thursday before returning to Arkansas City on Saturday for another twinbill.
“Hopefully, this gives us something to build on,” Red Devil head coach Val McLean said. “We’ve got some big games coming up against Cowley.”
Despite Tuesday’s frigid conditions — temperatures were in the low 30s and exacerbated by a brisk south wind, particularly after sundown — the Red Devils had little trouble scoring in the opener.
Austin Griffin and Trevor Kreifel had run-scoring singles to push ACC in front 2-0. Another run was scored on a balk before Trey Francis walked with the bases loaded to provide the fourth run.
Francis’ double scored Kreifel to push the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the third before ACC broke the game open one inning later.
Two singles and a walk loaded the bases, where Griffin drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. Kyle Foster’s single led to a run by Cole Slusser, who scored on the throw into the infield. Kreifel added his second RBI single, part of his 4-for-4 performance on the day.
Foster scored the final run when he stole home as part of a double steal.
Brown Mackie rallied for three in the fifth and two more in the sixth to close the gap.
Allen’s Chris McPherson pitched around early trouble in the top of the seventh when a hit batsmen and error gave the Lions two on with nobody out.
But McPherson slammed the door with a pair of strikeouts and a ground ball to pick up the save.
Chase Cunningham picked up the win. He started and pitched two scoreless innings, striking out four.
McPherson allowed one hit and a walk in his two innings of relief. Austin Weldy and Jarred Latta combined to give up five hits with three strikeouts over three innings.
The Red Devils tagged Brown Mackie starter Aaron Woods with 11 hits and three walks with no strikeouts.
Foster went 2-for-4 with a double. Drew Walden singled twice, while Francis had a double. Adding singles were Griffin, Maruo and Slusser.

THE HITS were a bit more scarce against Roberts, who befuddled the Allen batters with his unusual pitching motion.
“His delivery was just unusual enough to keep us off balance,” McLean said.
Foster’s double was ACC’s only hit until Slusser’s leadoff double in the fourth. Griffin’s sacrifice moved him to third, where he scored on Griffin’s sac fly.
An errant pickoff throw was pivotal in ACC’s fifth-inning rally.
Jacob Waters walked to lead off the frame. With one out, Roberts’ pickoff attempt got past the Lion first baseman, moving Waters to third. He scored on Heffern’s line drive single to left. Heffern scored one batter later on Maruo’s double to the left field gap.
“That pickoff play was huge,” McLean said. “We were able to take advantage.”
A hit batter and failed fielder’s choice led to Waters’ sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth for the final run.
It was more than enough for Bourque, who allowed only two hits in the first frame. He struck out eight over 5 2/3 innings.
Maskill came on in relief following a two-out walk in the top of the sixth. He struck out three over 1 1/3 innings to pick up the save.
Three of Allen’s four hits went for extra bases. Maruo, Foster and Slusser had doubles; Heffern had a single.