The Barton Community College softball team responded from Saturday's disappointing split in emphatic fashion Monday afternoon at Cougar Field, turning a nail-biting opener into a runaway nightcap to complete a doubleheader sweep of Division II No. 18 Cowley College with 8-7 and 15-1 victories.
Game one required late heroics. After building a 5-1 advantage, Barton saw the lead slip away by the sixth inning before Carly Erpelding delivered a game-tying blast in the home half to reset the momentum. One inning later, Karter Alvord provided the finishing touch, lining a walk-off RBI double down the third base line in the bottom of the seventh to cap the comeback and secure the victory.
The Cougars carried that spark straight into game two, erupting for nine runs in their opening at-bat. Erpelding's second homer added two more runs in the third before Mollie Steiner punctuated the offensive onslaught with a grand slam in the fourth, putting the finishing stamp on a 15-1 run-rule triumph.
Closing out a three-date homestand with the sweep, Barton improves to 8-8 overall while Cowley drops to 5-9. The Cougars now turn their focus to conference play beginning Thursday at Fort Hays Tech Northwest before traveling to Pratt Community College on Saturday. First pitch for both doubleheaders is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
Barton pounded out 12 hits in each contest, led by Steiner's monster day at the plate. The sophomore went 5-for-8 with six RBI, collecting a double, her first collegiate triple, and a pair of home runs including the grand slam for her third long ball of the season.
Erpelding was nearly flawless, finishing 4-for-5 with four RBI while homering in both games, giving the freshman a team-leading five home runs on the season.
Alvord continued her recent surge, batting 4-for-7 with two doubles and four RBI, including the game-winning laser down the third base line in the opener.
In the circle, Ellie Crawford made the most of her first collegiate start, earning the game two victory to improve to 2-0 after scattering four hits and matching her season-best with three strikeouts. Peyton McCormick secured the opener, tossing the final three innings while allowing just three hits to move to 2-5 on the season.
Game One – Barton 8, Cowley 7
Barton answered Cowley's run in the top by plating five in their first at-bat of the day, highlighted by Steiner's 2-run home run and Alvord's ground rule 2-RBI double, followed by Chaylin Boone's RBI walk.
The Tigers began to chip away at the deficit in the third, Gracey Smith driving in two on a single with Taverli Tennant's triple in the fourth and scoring on a wild pitch, cutting Barton's lead to 5-4.
Barton answered back in the home half, Steiner's double extending the frame before scampering home on Erpelding's single.
Following a scoreless fifth, a 1-out hit and walk moved around the bases via wild pitches to plate one. Tennant's single drove in another as Taylor Clay followed with another base hit to push the Tigers in front 7-6.
Erpelding provided the tying shot with one-out in the home half, driving a shot deep to center for her first of the afternoon.
McCormick worked a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, turning the game over to the offense. Morgan Thatcher drew a four-pitch walk to begin the frame, with Alvord following unleashing a scorched laser down the third base line plating as pinch-runner Kahli Fields sped around the bases scoring from first base from the walk-off double.
Game Two – Barton 15, Cowley 1 (5 innings)
Crawford began her first collegiate start with total command, striking out the first two batters before inducing a harmless fly ball to center.
Nine runs on six hits ensued in the home half, Steiner's single to right aided by a fielding error allowing Laney Wood's leadoff walk to score began the barrage. McCormick added an RBI hit with Hailey Horton following with a 2-run producing double. Alvord would join the action later with an RBI single, Wood drove in two more on a bases loaded double, with McCormick also delivering after the bases were reloaded with a 2-RBI single to cap the inning's outburst.
Following Steiner's first collegiate triple to open the third, Erpelding crushed her second homer of the day to straight away center, growing the lead to eleven.
The Tigers would get one run back in the fourth, Tennant's single opening the frame with a pair of walks ensuing to load the bases. Smith's single to left easily scored Tennant but a potential big inning was thwarted as Spears' laser to the plate cut down another run.
Barton went back to work in their final at-bat, Spears' 1-out hit followed by Grace Hembree's single, with Wood reaching on error in loading up the bags. One batter later, it was Steiner time again, clearing the bases with a no-doubter to left center for the sophomore's first career grand slam.