The 5th-seeded Barton Community College softball team split its opening day Friday at the Region 6/Plains District Tournament held at Legend Park in Dodge City, falling 16-8 in six innings to 4th-seeded Colby Community College before erupting for a 17-9 six-inning elimination victory over Pratt Community College.
The split leaves Barton at 29-25 overall and advances the Cougars into Saturday's noon elimination matchup against 2nd-seeded Butler Community College (33-15), with the victor advancing to the 6:00 p.m. game. The Grizzlies opened tournament play with an 11-5 victory over Seward County before suffering a narrow 3-2 setback to 3rd-seeded Dodge City to drop into the elimination bracket.
Barton's offense operated at full throttle throughout Friday's split, batting .392 as a team with 20 hits, 24 RBIs, and 24 walks while producing 25 runs across the two contests.
Five different Cougars hit .500 or better on the day, led by Carly Erpelding's four-hit and 5 RBI effort and Peyton McCormick's 9 RBIs behind two doubles. Also collecting three hits were Karter Alvord, including on two doubles and four runs scored, and Kahli Fields' 3-for-6 anchoring the bottom of the lineup. At the top, Laney Wood crossed the plate four times in drawing five walks with a trio of stolen bases, while Morgan Thatcher continued her patient approach at the plate with six walks resulting in four runs scored with three RBIs despite just two official at-bats.
Despite the offensive fireworks, Friday's stat sheet featured one of the more unusual tournament oddities in recent memory, as Barton and its opponents finished perfectly even in both hits and runs with 20 hits and 25 runs apiece across the split.
Game 1 – Colby 16, Barton 8 (6 innings)
Barton wasted little time creating pressure in the opener, manufacturing three first inning runs before exploding for five more in the second to build an early 8-2 advantage.
The Cougars plated eight runs despite recording just three hits through the opening two innings, capitalizing on 14 walks and a Colby error while Peyton McCormick's bases-clearing double highlighted the five-run second inning. Morgan Thatcher reached base in all four plate appearances without an official at-bat, while Laney Wood walked three times and scored twice.
Colby answered immediately in the bottom half of the second inning, sending 14 batters to the plate in erupting for 10 runs on eight hits to seize momentum for good. Brooke Zinken's RBI double ignited the frame before Briley Christensen delivered the decisive blow with a three-run double as part of her six-RBI performance.
Barton threatened repeatedly over the middle innings but stranded nine runners across the third through fifth frames as Colby reliever Cheyenne Cramer stabilized the contest, tossing 4.1 shutout innings despite issuing six walks.
McCormick drove in four of Barton's eight runs while Erpelding, Alvord, Horton, Fields, and Spears each added hits in the loss.
Ellie Crawford got the start surrendering seven runs in 1.1 innings, with Charley Wheeler taking the loss dropping to 9-9 on four innings and eight earned runs allowed.
Game 1 Notes:
- Barton scored eight runs on just six hits
- The Cougars plated five second inning runs while recording only one hit
- McCormick's three-run double helped Barton build an 8-2 advantage
- Colby answered with 10 runs in the bottom of the second inning
- Barton stranded 12 runners in the contest
- Christensen finished with six RBIs for the Trojans
Game 2 – Barton 17, Pratt 9 (6 innings)
Facing elimination, Barton responded with by pounding out 17 runs on 14 hits to extend its postseason run.
After being held scoreless in the opening inning, the Cougars erupted for nine runs in the second behind a relentless string of run-producing swings. Laney Wood ignited the barrage with a two-run double before Carly Erpelding followed with a two-run double of her own. Karter Alvord added an RBI double before McCormick capped the inning with a three-run double as Barton sent 14 batters to the plate.
Pratt capitalized on four Barton errors in the third inning to trim the margin, eventually pulling within 10-8 following Kennadie Arevalo's three-run homer in the fourth. Barton answered immediately both times, however, with McCormick's sacrifice fly halting the third inning momentum before Morgan Thatcher's two-run single in the fourth restored breathing room.
Erpelding delivered another key swing in the fifth inning with a two-run single before Barton closed the run-rule victory with a pair of sixth inning runs.
McCormick earned the complete game victory in the circle improving to 8-12 as all nine Pratt runs being unearned, limiting the Beavers to just four hits while also driving in five runs offensively. Erpelding finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs while Wood, Alvord, and Fields each added multi-hit performances.
Game 2 Info:
- Barton struck out zero times in 44 plate appearances
- The Cougars scored 17 runs on 14 hits while drawing 10 walks
- Barton produced four doubles and four sacrifice flies
- Pratt scored eight runs on just four hits
- All nine Pratt runs were unearned
- McCormick drove in five runs while tossing a complete-game victory
- Barton answered both Pratt scoring innings with immediate offensive responses