By BRANDON SMITH
Barton Sports Info
Trailing by one and down to their final strike in the top of the ninth, Owen Clyne's opposite field two-RBI go-ahead single lifted the Barton Community College baseball team over Cowley College on Thursday afternoon in the Plains District Tournament at Wichita State University's Eck Stadium.
Seeing its three-run lead in the bottom of the eighth evaporate into an 8-7 deficit coming to bat in the top of the ninth, back-to-back one-out Cole Schieffer and Robby Bolin singles ignited the rally attempt with Clyne's two-run single giving the Cougars a 9-8 comeback victory.
The 10th seeded Cougars (41-19) secured their second straight victory over a higher seed to advance into Friday afternoon's 4:00 p.m. winners bracket semifinal game against top-seeded Johnson County Community College who defeated No. 4 seed Kansas City Kansas Community College 7-4.
Cowley placed the tying run on in the bottom of the 9th with a two-out walk, but two-way player Kyler Horsman recorded a strikeout to end the game and secure his second victory of the year. Horsman (2-1) pitched the final 2.0-innings allowing three hits, one run, a walk and four strikeouts while also leading five different multi-hit performances from the Cougar lineup going 3 for 6 at the plate with two-RBIs.
Barton outhit Cowley 14-9, getting hits from eight of the nine in the lineup.
Clyne and Schieffer joined Horsman to lead Barton's RBI production each knocking in a pair with three others adding one brought home.
Held scoreless over the opening five innings and trailing 3-0, Barton broke through in the top of the sixth with a five-run inning with the first six reaching base behind five singles and a walk. Schieffer's two-runs brought around gifted the Cougars their first lead following Ayden Hadley and Hank Orr run delivering singles and Bolin's groundout ensuing scoring one for a 5-3 lead.
Horsman's two-run single in the eighth added a three-run cushion of 7-4 but four of the Tigers nine hits coming in the bottom of the eighth sparked Cowley's four run frame and 8-7 advantage.
Starting pitcher Aidan Sowers grinded out four innings with three hits, three runs, walking three and fanning one. Anthony Treto worked the next 3.0-innings scattering two hits, two runs with two walks and pair of strikeouts.