The No. 25 Barton Community College baseball team dropped both legs of Monday's doubleheader to Northeast Community College, falling 13-0 in five innings before a 15-12 loss in the nightcap.
Northeast pulled away in the opener with a nine-run fifth inning, turning a manageable game into a 13-0 run-rule decision while holding the Barton bats to just two hits. The Cougars responded in the nightcap with 12 runs and five home runs, but the Hawks' seven-run third and four-run fourth created a cushion unable to overcome.
The setbacks move the Cougars to 9-2 on the season, while the Hawks improve to 8-2. Barton will have a quick turnaround Tuesday afternoon, hosting Highland Community College in a 1:00 p.m. twinbill at Jimmy Lawson-Danny Biggs Field. The Scotties enter after dropping a pair of five-inning run-rule decisions at No. 17 Hutchinson Community College on Monday 22-0 and 12-2.
Offensively, Barton was paced in the nightcap by Carter Helm, who went 3-for-6 on the day, scoring four runs while blasting two home runs and a triple to drive in three. Jaxon Case added a three-hit effort with two RBIs, while Micah McGavran delivered a three-run homer as part of the Cougars five long balls in the backend. Kyle Walker and Case were the lone Cougars to record hits in both contests, with Walker added a two-hit performance with two walks across the doubleheader.
Game 1 Recap
Northeast struck early in the opener behind a pair of solo blasts before pulling away with a nine-run fifth inning to secure the 13-0 run rule victory in five innings. The Hawks collected 15 hits in the contests, including three home runs, while limiting Barton to just two base knocks.
Walker's one-out single in the home first and Case's pinch hit single with two-outs in the fifth accounted for the Cougars' lone hits, while starter Braden Hauschel was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs over three innings of work and two strikeouts.
Game 2 Recap
In Game 2, Barton grabbed its lone lead of the day in the second inning, Kyler Horsman's leadoff home run for his third of the year sparked a four-run frame, with Helm later scoring on Case's RBI double before JJ Spafford capped the frame with a two-run blast to left, his third of the season, giving the Cougars a 4-1 advantage.
Northeast answered immediately with a seven-run third inning and added four more in the fourth to build the needed separation. Barton continued to chip away, highlighted by Micah McGavern's three-run home in the fifth and Helm's second round tripper of the game in the sixth that pulled the Cougars within three, but Northeast holding on, allowing just a two-out walk in the seventh.
On the mound, Brian Justice sufferd the loss after allowing seven runs over 2.1 innings. Jake Field provided strong stability in relief, working 3.2 innings and allowing three runs, none earned, to finish the contest.