The 5th-seeded Barton Community College softball team saw its 2026 season come to a close Saturday afternoon at the Region 6/Plains District Tournament, falling 6-2 to 2nd-seeded Butler Community College at Legend Park in Dodge City.
The Cougars conclude a 29-26 season that produced multiple additions throughout Barton's single season and career record book, while Butler improves to 34-15 in advancing deeper into the elimination bracket for a 6:00 p.m. matchup against Seward County (21-32).
After combining for 25 runs across Friday's two contests, Barton ran into a strong performance inside the circle from Butler's Addison Chapman, the KJCCC Pitcher of the Year, who limited the Cougars to just two hits over the opening five innings. Barton finally broke through on reliever Ellie Randall for two runs in the sixth, but Chapman returned to the circle to retire the game's final four batters in order to close out the Cougars' season.
Peyton McCormick and Trista Rogers combined to limit Butler to just six hits, but Barton managed only four hits offensively while being retired in order during four separate innings. Kahli Fields' two-out single in the third accounted for the Cougars' first hit, followed by Morgan Thatcher's fifth inning single before sixth inning RBI knocks from Karter Alvord and fellow sophomore Hailey Horton's double produced Barton's lone runs.
Saddled with the loss to close out her Barton career, McCormick finished the season 8-13 in the circle after working the opening 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits while walking two and striking out three. Rogers handled the final 1.2 frames, surrendering one hit and one walk with two runs scoring.
RECAP
Butler grabbed early momentum in the opening inning as Haely Hagemann's leadoff single appeared stranded until Kyler Demel launched a two-out, full-count pitch over the right field fence, putting the Grizzlies in the driver's seat.
Despite the early deficit, Barton remained within striking distance behind McCormick, who retired 10 of 11 batters during one stretch spanning the second through fourth innings. The Cougars threatened in the third after Fields delivered a two-out single and advanced into scoring position on a passed ball, but Chapman escaped the inning to preserve the shutout.
The game turned in the fifth inning as Butler strung together four runs on four hits to extend the margin to 6-0. Hagemann delivered an RBI single before scoring on Lizzy Lassley's run-scoring triple, chasing McCormick from the circle. Rogers induced a fielder's choice before Demel added another RBI and Tatum Steiner capped the decisive inning with a run-scoring single.
Barton mounted its lone rally in the sixth inning after Shaylee Spears worked a two-out walk and Carly Erpelding followed with another free pass. Alvord broke the shutout with an RBI single up the middle before Horton ripped an RBI double to right field, trimming the deficit to four.
Butler returned Chapman to the circle following Horton's double, striking out the final batter of the inning before retiring the Cougars in order in the seventh to finish the contest with seven strikeouts.
Program Record Book Impacts:
Karter Alvord 6th – Single Season Batting Average (.452): tied Allyson McDougal's .452 (2025)
T-7th – Single Season Triples (5): tied Laci Dryden (2024), Jaysa Anderson (2023), and Michelle Moores (1993)
5th – Single Season Walks (29)
T-5th – Career Batting Average (.435): tied Maddison Schofield ('16-17)
T-8th – Career Hits (130): tied Karina Ramirez ('03-04)
T-8th – Career Doubles (30): tied Karina Ramirez ('03-04)
T-6th – Career Triples (6): tied Allyson McDougal ('24-25) and Talia Giesick ('01-02)10th – Career Home Runs (20)
4th – Career RBI (118)5th – Career Walks (45)
Carly Erpelding 10th – Single Season RBI (57)
Peyton McCormick T-4th – Career Triples (7): tied Jaysa Anderson and Halie Stoneking
T-7th – Career RBI (99): tied Maddison Schofield ('16-17)
T-9th – Career Runs Scored (94): tied Elina Bartlett ('24-25)
T-6th – Career Walks (44): tied Megan Suiter ('03-04)
Shaylee Spears 4th – Single Season Walks (31)
Morgan Thatcher T-7th – Single Season Hit By Pitch (9): tied Jenna Henderson (2023) and Jayden Gonzales (2016)
8th – Career Walks (43)
2nd – Career Hit By Pitch (22)
Laney Wood 7th – Career Hits (134): tied Jaysa Anderson ('21-23)
10th – Career Doubles (29)
10th – Career Triples (5)
5th – Career Runs Scored (116)
T-9th – Career Walks (42): tied Jamie Dame ('98-99)
3rd – Career Stolen Bases (39)