Fort Scott Community College pitcher Ryan Daniel throws a pitch to a Dodge City batter during the Saturday's second game at Lions Field. Daniel threw a no-hitter and hit a two-run home run to help the Greyhounds take a 9-0 win to even the best-of-three Region VI Tournament First Round Playoff Series at one game each. Fort Scott won Sunday's deciding game, 12-6. (Tribune photo/Scott Nuzum)

Ryan Daniel's song is called "Conquest," originally by Patti Page but remade by The White Stripes. A sample lyric is "The hunted has now become the hunted/The hunter has become the prey."

Quite appropriate, considering that Daniel was about to take the mound for the second game of the best-of-three Region VI Playoff Series Saturday afternoon just half an hour after lower-seeded Dodge City upset the Greyhounds in Saturday's first game, 13-7, after an 11-run eighth inning.

But just after Dodge City had reversed the roles and made Fort Scott it's prey, Daniel turned the tables on the Conquistadors, throwing a no-hitter and hitting a two-run home run in the third inning as the Greyhounds evened the series with a 9-0 win.

Sunday, Fort Scott won the series with a 12-6 win over the Conqs and advanced to double-elimination play which will begin Saturday morning at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita. The Greyhounds will play at 4 p.m. against Hutchinson. They will also play Sunday, the time depending on wether they win or lose on Saturday.

This was the third straight season the Greyhounds have been forced to play the third game in the opening series but this is the first time they've won it while holding home-field advantage. Seward County won in three games two years ago while the 'Hounds won at Colby last season.

"Two years ago, against Seward, I probably could have told you that when we showed up at the park that we were going to lose," Fort Scott head coach Chris Moddelmog said after Saturday's play. "It was mentality; we didn't expect to win. Last year, we showed up and we were as loose as could be and went out and played probably our best game of the year."

Fort Scott third baseman Trevor Geist bunts during the second inning on Sunday's third game of the Region VI Tournament First-Round Series at Lions Field Sunday afternoon. All runners were safe on the play when Dodge City's pitcher couldn't field the bunt, one of six errors the Conquistadors made in the contest. Fort Scott went on to win the game 12-6 and take the series two games to one. (Tribune photo/Scott Nuzum)

This time around, the Greyhounds were ready to take the third game in front of their home fans.

"I got here (Sunday) morning at probably 9:15," Moddelmog said after Sunday's game. "There were already six or eight guys here. We told them to be here on the field and be ready by 10:30. I think we had the whole team here by 10:15.

"I told another coach in the league, 'We're going to win today. Our kids showed up ready to play.' All we told them was, 'You have Monday off if you want to practice on Tuesday.' I guess they want to practice on Tuesday."

Game 1: Dodge City 13, Fort Scott 7.

It looked like the Greyhounds would be jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the series after seven innings. They held a 7-2 lead and the Conquistadors (22-36) had only managed to get five hits off starter Dan Huff, who hadn't lost a start this season.

But all playoff games are scheduled for nine innings and Dodge City put up 11 runs in the eighth. Its first eight runners reached base and the Greyhounds didn't get the first out of the inning until Adam Johnston -- the second relief pitcher of the inning -- got a strikeout on the ninth batter.

Jake Bedoka, who went to the mound in the third inning, held Fort Scott without a hit over the last 3 1/3 innings.

"I felt like I left Dan in there a little too long," Moddelmog said. "He's been our ace and you want your ace on the mound. But we have to put people away. That's the biggest thing of the day. It was 7-2 and we mess up a couple of plays and don't get some big hits. If we get some big hits, we run rule-them both games."

Bedoka held Fort Scott to one run on two hits and three walks -- he also hit three batters -- in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four.

Huff made it through the first six innings fairly easily, allowing one walk and striking out five. His final line, however, was seven runs on nine hits and three walks.

Garrett Woerman (0-1), who is one of Fort Scott's closers, took the loss. He faced only two batters but they both got on base and eventually scored the Conqs' eighth and ninth runs.

Mark Mitchell went three for five for Dodge City. He had two doubles in the eighth inning, each of which drove in two runs. Cody Lunsford was two for five with three RBIs. Brandon Hageman and Davis Saiz were each two for five while Robbie Votaw was two for three.

Andrew Minnich was the only Greyhound with more than one hit, going two for five.

Game 2: Fort Scott 9, Dodge City 0.

Daniel (7-4) came up one batter short of a perfect game. After the Conquistadors saw 18 consecutive batters retired, Max Taylor, their leadoff batter, reached base in the top of the seventh when third baseman Trevor Geist misplayed a ball that he said he should have fielded cleanly.

No matter, though, as Daniel got three fly-ball outs to finish off the no-hitter. The game ended at that point under the run-rule. Because he didn't issue a walk or allow any other batters to reach base, he faced only 22 batters -- one over the minimum one can face in seven innings.

Then on top of that, acting as his own designated hitter under college rules, Daniel belted a two-run home run in the fourth inning to give the 'Hounds a 3-0 lead at the time.

"It was a credit to our kids," Moddelmog said of the second game. "You can't do anything about (the first one) when it's done. You just have to go out and win game two.

"Ryan Daniel then comes out and does a great job, throws a darn-near perfect game and hits a two-run homer."

Fort Scott's first run scored when Zach Caldwell singled to lead off the first inning, stole second, was bunted to third by Brandt Barnes and scored on Jason Houston's sacrifice fly.

Fort Scott added six in the fifth, sending 10 batters to the plate. It began with Cullen Baxter's single to left. Catcher Brandon Davis bunted but reached base on an error. Caldwell grounded into a fielder's choice, putting runners on first and third.

Barnes tripled to center, scoring Baxter and Caldwell. Houston bunted and another error allowed him to reach base while Barnes scored. Geist doubled off the wall in left field, which brought Dodge City head coach Phil Stephenson out to change pitchers.

The new pitcher walked Daniel to load the bases. Then Travis Cruz walked, forcing Houston home. Minnich's fielder's choice allowed Geist to score. Daniel capped the scoring when he got home on a throwing error on the fielder's choice.

Geist went two for three for the Greyhounds at the plate, the only FSCC player with more than one hit.

Game 3: Fort Scott 12, Dodge City 6.

Dodge City scored a run in the top of the first inning but the Greyhounds responded with five in the bottom of the frame.

Caldwell, leading off, was hit by a pitch. Then Barnes drew a walk. Houston bunted and reached on an error and Geist drew another walk, forcing in Caldwell.

Controversy came up on the next play. Daniel lined to Dodge City's second baseman. The umpire initially appeared to rule a catch, then ruled that the ball had been dropped. Dodge City thought it had a double play but after a conference, it was ruled that the only out was a force out at second. The runners at second and third before the play didn't advance because they thought the ball had been caught.

Cruz then came up and hit a line drive to left, scoring Houston. Geist came home when Minnich walked with the bases loaded. Dodge City then changed pitchers.

Baxter grounded into a fielder's choice which saw Minnich out at second but Daniel score. Davis then lined a single to left to score Cruz.

Cruz also drove home Houston on a second-inning single to make it 6-2. Three more runs scored in the third. Baxter led off with a single and Davis bunted him over. Barnes two-out single to left was misplayed for a two-base error that allowed Baxter to score. Houston doubled in Barnes, then stole second and scored on a bad throw by the catcher.

Dodge City scored another run in the top of the fourth but Fort Scott scored two in the bottom of the inning. Cruz singled with one out and Minnich reached on an error by the shortstop. Baxter's groundout advanced the runners. Then a passed ball allowed Cruz to score. The catcher tried to recover and get Minnich at third but the throw went into left field and he scored.

Another run was posted in the fifth when Barnes singled and stole second, scoring on Geist's single. That made it 12-3. Dodge added two runs in the sixth and one in the ninth.

Joel Ricketts started the game on the mound for the 'Hounds but struggled in two innings. He allowed two runs on three hits and two walks.

Moddelmog turned to left-hander Jeff Rydman, the pre-season All-American who had not been able to play since the beginning of April due to an elbow injury. The Conqs managed two earned runs on five hits and three walks in Rydman's six innings of work. He struck out five and gave the Greyhounds what they needed as long as the offense was producing.

"What can you say about Jeff Rydman?" Moddelmog asked. "He's been hurt and he told me last week, 'Coach, I'm going to close it out and get us to Wichita.' He did a great job.

"Offensively, we finally got a few big hits. We talked about getting ahead early."

The game ended with a double play in the ninth. Barnes caught out No. 2 in center field and gunned a strike to Davis at the plate who tagged out Mitchell. Mitchell was convinced Davis was blocking the plate without the ball and followed the home plate umpire to the dugout before giving him a shove in the back.

Cruz was three for five for the Greyhounds while Geist was two for three and Barnes two for four.

Saiz was three for four and drove in three runs for Dodge City. Catcher Rick Lesperance was three for four while designated hitter Lee Benson was two for five.

While Moddelmog and his team are happily going to Wichita for the second straight year, they know there's a long way to go.

"I guess the first thing is just relief," Moddelmog said when asked about how he felt. "We started out so well and we had our chances to put them away. Again, I guess that's just too easy. We've gotta put people away.

"Let's take our chances next weekend and see what happens. Last year, we were excited to get there. This year, I think you could tell by our celebration -- there wasn't much -- that our guys think they have some more work to do."

Dodge City.. 000 200 0(11)0 -- 13 14 2

Fort Scott....... 042 100 000 -- 7 6 2

E -- Saiz, Hagerman, Caldwell, Minnich. DP -- Dodge City 1, Fort Scott 1.

LOB -- Dodge City 6, Fort Scott 11. 2B -- Taylor, Mitchell 2, Minnich. 3B -- Votaw. SB -- Taylor, Caldwell (41), Houston (24). CS -- Lesperance, Barnes, Houston. SF -- Taylor.

Huff pitched to five batters in the seventh.

Woerman pitched to two batters in the seventh.

HBP -- Wagoner (by Woerman), Caldwell (by Bedoka), Geist (by Bedoka), Baxter (by Bedoka). WP -- McDonald, Huff. PB -- Lesperance, Davis.

T -- 3:13.

Dodge City...... 000 000 0xx -- 0 0 3

Fort Scott....... 100 260 xxx -- 9 8 1

E -- Lasenberry, Taylor, Lesperance, Geist.

LOB -- Dodge City 1, Fort Scott 3. 2B -- Geist. 3B -- Barnes. HR -- Daniel (5, off Lasenberry, 4th inn., 1 on, 1 out). SB -- Caldwell 3 (44). CS -- Cruz. S -- Barnes, Houston, Davis. SF -- Houston.

PB -- Lesperance.

T -- 1:38.

Dodge City...... 110 102 001 -- 6 10 6

Fort Scott....... 513 210 00x -- 12 10 1

E -- Lesperance 2, Leddy, Salzman, Mitchell, Saiz, Houston. DP -- Dodge City 1, Fort Scott 1.

LOB -- Dodge City 10, Fort Scott 7. 2B -- Houston. SB -- Taylor, Caldwell (45), Barnes (30), Houston (25). CS -- Wagoner. S -- Houston, Geist, Daniel, Davis. SF -- Wagoner.

HBP -- Taylor (by Rydman), Caldwell (by Leddy). WP -- Rydman, Miles. PB -- Lesperance, Davis

T -- 3:20.