The Barton Community College softball team used a blend of timely power and strong pitching performances Tuesday afternoon at Cougar Field, earning a non-conference sweep over Southeast Community College with a 6-4 victory in the opener followed by a 9-1 five-inning run-rule decision in the nightcap.
The Cougars improve to 25-21 on the season while Southeast moves to 25-19. Barton returns to Jayhawk Conference play Saturday traveling to Colby Community College for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.
Behind a six-home run performance and two complete game efforts in the circle, Barton used a late-inning swing to take the opener before riding an early offensive surge to close out the sweep.
Barton's offense produced a .378 batting average across the twinbill, collecting 17 hits with 11 going for extra bases, including six leaving the yard.
Eight different Cougars recorded a hit, led by Peyton McCormick's 4-for-5, three-RBI performance including a double and game one winning home run. Karter Alvord continued her all-around production going 3-for-6 with a triple, home run, and three RBI. Laney Wood and Morgan Thatcher made their hits count, each launching two home runs while combining for seven RBI. Hailey Horton added a pair of doubles, and Shaylee Spears chipped in two hits and a walk including the game-ending RBI in the nightcap.
In the circle, Barton received two complete game performances, combining for a 2.92 ERA while holding Southeast to a .217 batting average. McCormick struck out eight in a seven-inning effort in the opener, while Ellie Crawford limited Southeast to two hits and one run over five innings without issuing a walk while striking out three in the finale.
Game 1 – Barton 6, Southeast CC 4
Barton used a pair of momentum swings and a clutch late-inning blast to secure the opener, erasing an early deficit before McCormick's go-ahead home run in the sixth inning lifted the Cougars to a 6-4 victory.
After striking first in the second inning on McCormick's RBI double, Southeast answered in the third as a leadoff hit came around to score on Tatum Heimerman's single, followed by Lexi Paskach's two-run home run for her collegiate first.
The Cougars answered in the fourth as Alvord led off with a triple and scored on Horton's RBI double before Thatcher delivered a two-run home run to center, putting Barton back in front 4-3.
Southeast evened the contest in the sixth inning as Vanessa Butler led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on Brianna Houchin's game-tying single.
Barton responded immediately in the bottom half, Thatcher drawing a leadoff walk before McCormick delivered the game winning two-run shot, putting the Cougars back on top at 6-4.
Southeast made some noise in the last at-bat behind a pair of one-out singles, but McCormick ended the threat by inducing a pair of pop-outs to Horton at first base. Scattering eight hits and allowing four runs, McCormick struck out eight improving to 6-10 on the season.
At the plate, McCormick led Barton with two of the Cougars' seven hits, producing three RBI on her double and home run.
Game 2 – Barton 9, Southeast CC 1 (5 Innings)
Barton scored in every inning while being backed by a dominant performance from Crawford in the circle to complete the sweep in run-rule fashion.
Coming up empty in her four at-bats of the opener, Laney Wood belted two home runs in as many trips to the plate, a leadoff home run before adding a two-out, two-run blast in the second putting Barton up 3-0.
The Cougars again utilized the long ball to extend their lead in the next two frames. Thatcher's second of the day and sixth of the year plated Horton, who had doubled with two outs in the third, with Alvord launching a three-run shot in the fourth for her ninth of the season, plating Grace Hembree's walk and Addison Crockett's hit by pitch, giving Barton a run-rule margin at 8-0.
The Bobcats picked up their first hit in the fourth inning, with their second and final hit coming on Reyse Zobel's leadoff solo home run in the fifth extending the game to the home half of the inning.
Thatcher's walk and McCormick's second hit of the game led off the frame, with Spears following with the walk-off RBI single securing the run-rule margin.
Crawford was efficient throughout, allowing just the two hits and one run over five innings, striking out three without issuing a walk, improving to 9-1 on the freshman's season.
Wood and Alvord led the offensive effort with two hits and three RBI each, Wood's coming on two home runs while Alvord added a dinger for her run-producing hit. Thatcher drove in two on her sixth home run of the year while McCormick added another strong effort at the plate, going 2-for-2.