The Barton Community College softball team closed the regular season in emphatic fashion Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field, sweeping Garden City Community College with a pair of run-rule victories, 13-4 in five innings and 13-5 in six innings.
The Cougars finish the regular season at 18-14 in Jayhawk Conference play and 28-24 overall, securing a fourth-place league finish and the No. 5 seed for the upcoming Region 6/Plains District Tournament. Garden City closes at 15-17 for sixth place in conference play and 28-26 overall.
Barton now turns its attention to postseason play, opening Friday at noon at Dodge City's Legend Park against fourth-seeded Colby Community College. With a victory, the Cougars will advance to a 4:00 p.m. matchup against the winner of top-seeded Hutchinson and eighth-seeded Pratt, while a loss sends Barton into an elimination game at 4:00 p.m. against the Hutchinson-Pratt loser.
Barton's offense erupted across the twinbill, batting .482 (27-of-56) in producing 26 runs on 27 hits while drawing 15 walks. Six different Cougars recorded multi-hit performances, led by Addison Crockett's 4-for-4 finale and a combined 4-for-6 showing from Peyton McCormick. Carly Erpelding matched the team-high with four hits, including a pair of doubles and her 13th home run of the season, driving in three runs while scoring five times.
Laney Wood added a .500 performance at the top of the lineup with three hits, four RBIs, and three walks, while Hailey Horton matched Wood's team-best run production despite just three official at-bats. Morgan Thatcher and Karter Alvord combined for six hits and four RBIs, with Kahli Fields contributing three RBIs and reaching base five times.
In the circle, Barton limited Garden City to nine runs on 17 hits across 11 innings, with Peyton McCormick and Charley Wheeler each earning victories. McCormick struck out seven in a complete game effort in the opener improving to 7-12 on the year, while Wheeler provided 5.2 innings of steady relief in game two, allowing just two runs, improving to 9-8.
Game 1 – Barton 13, Garden City 4 (5 innings)
A patient approach and timely hitting powered Barton to a 13-4 five-inning run-rule victory in the opener.
After surrendering an early run on consecutive doubles in the top of the first, the Cougars answered immediately with three runs in the bottom half, capitalizing on wild pitches and four walks while getting a sacrifice fly from Horton.
Garden City briefly pulled even in the third behind a solo home run and an RBI fielder's choice, but Barton responded with four runs, highlighted by McCormick's double and RBI hits from Shaylee Spears and Alvord to regain control.
The Cougars broke the game open in the fourth, plating six runs as the bottom of the lineup set the table with traffic on the bases, while the top of the order delivered the damage. Wood, Fields, Erpelding, and Horton combined for RBIs in extending the margin to run-rule territory.
Barton tallied 10 hits while drawing 11 walks in the contest, with Thatcher, McCormick, and Spears each collecting two hits. Fields and Horton led the run production with three RBIs apiece.
McCormick earned the victory in the circle, improving to 7-12 on the season after allowing four runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out seven.
Game 2 – Barton 13, Garden City 5 (6 innings)
After falling behind early, Barton responded with a relentless offensive surge to complete the sweep with a 13-5 six-inning run-rule victory.
Garden City again struck first with three first-inning solo home runs, chasing Ellie Crawford after just four batters. Enter Wheeler, who settled things in the circle, allowing the Cougars to chip away with a run in the bottom half before erasing a 4-1 deficit in the third.
Erpelding ignited the comeback with her 13th home run of the season, while McCormick and Fields added RBIs before Wood's two-run single capped the five-run frame, flipping the momentum.
Barton continued to build its advantage with two runs in the fourth on RBI contributions from Thatcher and McCormick. Crockett's second double of the game to lead off the fifth sparked a four-run inning, stretching the lead to 12-5.
Crockett capped her 4-for-4 performance out of the No. 9 spot with a one-out single in the sixth, followed by Wood's third hit and Erpelding's two-out walk to load the bases. Fittingly ahead of the afternoon's sophomore recognition, Alvord delivered the clinching RBI with a sharply hit ball to third, sealing the run-rule victory.
The Cougars pounded out 17 hits in the finale, led by Crockett's perfect day. Wood added three hits and three RBIs, while Erpelding went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. McCormick contributed two hits and two RBIs, with Alvord, Horton, and Thatcher each adding to the balanced attack.
In the circle, Wheeler earned the win in relief, improving to 9-8 after allowing just two runs over 5.2 innings with five strikeouts.