By Gary Van Cleave 

Special to Great Bend Tribune 

ELLINWOOD - Cohen Gunn had a hunch something big was about to happen. 

“I knew something good was going to happen from the game before because I was doing good,” Ellinwood sophomore Cohen Gunn said of an early-season doubleheader against Skyline. “I was really feeling my swing. Everything felt good.”

After a 4-hit outing April 4, Gunn’s confidence had soared to catastrophic highs.

“I was catching the barrel good,” Gunn said of the nightcap that mirrored a football score, 13-11 won by the Eagles.

Gunn went crazy in that second game, batting 6-for-6 to tie a state record for hits in a game. He capped his night with a double that gave him the cycle of a single, double, triple and home run.

A double in Gunn's final at-bat occurred when he drilled a 2-0 pitch into the right-center gap for a cycle. 

“I could have gone to third, but I stopped for the cycle,” Gunn said. “I was happy and everyone was happy for me. I was shaking from happiness, It was the happiest I have been on the baseball field."

Ellinwood baseball coach Roger Ward said, "Honestly I wasn’t thinking about the cycle until he did it. He had the home run, triple, and single…..then hit another gap. I was thinking '3' out of the gate. I have a hunch that he and the team knew what getting a double meant.”

Ten hits on the night, three triples, a homer, two doubles and four singles.

Gunn is the fourth player in KSHSAA baseball history to garner six hits in a game. He joined a group that includes Dodge City's Loren Doll (1947), Blue Valley's Trey Hobson (2006) and Perry's Brian Beatly (2006). 

““I had my confidence up. I was loose and relaxed at the plate,” Gunn said. "It was a fun game. Everyone was happy because we were playing good. That always helps when everyone is doing good.”

Trace Tudor said, “Stupid excited, I didn't know it was possible. It was the epitome of video game numbers.”

Relief set in for the 6-foot-1, 155-pound hitting machine.

“I was relieved. I was trying to get it for like two at bats and I kept getting singles,” he said. “And when I got it everyone in the dugout went crazy.”

The two-hole hitter enjoyed a banner season. Gunn batted .549 with a .610 on-base percentage and .791 slugging percentage. In 25 games, he’s rapped 50 hits, driven in 39 and scored 46 times.

Ellinwood (14-12) ended the season with a 9-4 loss to 2-1A state qualifier Hays Thomas More Prep.

“Honestly, I don’t know how I’m doing it,” Gunn said of his stellar season. “It’s about confidence when you go up to the plate. You have to walk up and know you’re going to hit the ball."

Ward has been surprised with Gunn’s offensive production.

“Obviously it’s been a great year for Cohen,” Ward said. “He has good bat-to-ball skills, but has a tendency to chase out of the zone, sometimes resulting in getting himself out. With more experience, he'll stay disciplined in his zone.”

He’s also the team’s closer out of the bullpen. In 13 appearances, he’s logged a sparkling 1.73 earned run average with two saves in 20 innings, 18 walks and 14 strikeouts.

“Throw strikes and don’t put my head down,” Gunn said of his mindset on the mound.

Gunn’s biggest inspiration is his dad, Freddy Gunn.

“He has always pushed me to be better,” the younger Gunn said. “And we do stuff in the garage together and that stuff always makes me better.”

Sometimes Gunn goes to his Lord in prayer before an at-bat.

“But most of the time I take a deep breath before I get in the box to get ready. And in the on-deck circle I do a routine if I’m not distracted,” he said. “I just try to focus on using my hands on not falling out with my shoulder. I didn’t think I could hit this good. Especially since my first game of the year was pretty bad.”

Gunn said success can be defined as doing  something better than you always thought you could.

“I did something I never thought I could do and it gave me confidence that I needed,” Gunn said. “I focus on making contact. I try not to worry about other things around me."

Ward has been pleasantly surprised by Gunn's progress.

“I didn’t see this type of average,” Ward said. “To say I’d think he’d hit what he did….no way. The average is legit. I can only think of 3-to-4 base hits that weren’t struck well.”