By BRANDON SMITH
Barton Sports Info
The Barton Community College softball team opened its conference season Saturday with 9-3 and 7-4 victories at Dodge City Community College.
The Cougars put three on the board in their first at-bat in leading throughout, tacking on another trio of tallies before clinching the opener with two more crossers in the seventh.
Barton again struck first in the backend of the doubleheader, putting two on the board in the first two frames then adding another pair in the fourth before turning back a Dodge City threat late to secure the sweep.
Snapping a three-game slide, Barton improves to 4-6 on the season while Dodge City remains winless at 0-12.
Next up is a Thursday twin bill at 15th ranked Butler Community College slated for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.
The Cougars pounded out 25 hits in the double dip, five each coming from Chloe Enslinger and Allyson McDougal including the pair of freshmen's first collegiate home runs.
Enslinger did most of her damage in the opener going 4-of-5 with 3 RBIs, pushing across Barton's first run on a single before leading off the third inning with the squad's first fence clearer of the season launching a 3-2 count, 8th pitch of the at-bat out to center field. Enslinger would later follow McDougal's RBI hit in the seventh with her third connection closing out the scoring.
Going 2-of-5 in the opener, McDougal moved up the lineup to the two-hole to collect base knocks on her first two at-bats to later drive a 1-0 pitch deep past the left field fence for her collegiate first staking Barton out to a 7-2 lead.
Barton's three doubles on the afternoon came in the nightcap, one coming from Laci Dryden leading off the two-run fourth frame as Mikaila Herring's first of two doubles putting the Cougars out to a 2-0 first inning lead.
Jadelyn Hooper made the game two start at second base, sparking the Cougars' two-run second frame with a one-out triple for the freshman's first collegiate hit.
In the circle Brooklynn Angielski picked up the opening win improving to 2-4 on the season scattering eight hits and striking out a career high eight in the complete game victory.