By TODD MOORE
Barton Athletics
The Barton Community College softball team won its opening round game of the Region VI Tournament Friday 8-0 in six innings over Garden City Community College at Dodge City's Legends Park.
The Cougars scored in four of their at-bat frames, putting two on the board in the second and fourth inning, nearly ending the game in the bottom of the 5th before getting a bases loaded walk-off hit in closing it out.
Seeded 4th in the tournament, Barton improves to 30-20 on the year advancing to Saturday's 12:00 p.m. Field 4 winner's bracket semifinal against top seeded 14th ranked Hutchinson Community College (42-6). The Blue Dragons took care of 8th seeded Pratt Community College in the earlier contest 15-4 in six innings. Garden City and Pratt will meet in the Saturday 10:00 a.m. elimination contest.
The victor of the Barton-Hutchinson matchup moves on to the winner's bracket 4:00 p.m. final against the winner of 2nd seeded Butler Community College versus 3rd seeded Colby Community College's 12:00 p.m. Field 2 contest.