Barton Softball splits final road contest at Dodge City #GoBarton

The Barton Community College softball team split their final regular season road trip in Wednesday's conference doubleheader at Dodge City Community College.

The Cougars ended the first game in five innings behind a multiple run frames in three of their at-bat frames for an 11-1 victory. Barton continued the momentum into the nightcap building a four run lead before Dodge City's five run third inning sent the contest into a battle as the Conquistadors prevailed 10-7.

The results leaves Barton in fourth place in the standings at 16-14 and 22-20 on the year while Dodge City moves into sixth at 14-16 and 20-24 overall.

Next up is Barton's regular season and home finale on Saturday in hosting Northwest Kansas Technical College in a 1:00 p.m. first pitch doubleheader.

Game One Recap
Barton sent eight to the plate at their first at-bat, coming away with three runs on three hits beginning with Kayden Smith's solo home run followed by Kennedee Lara's two-out RBI single and Teegan Krol's 10th double of the year driving in the third run.

Adreanna Lance's single and Ireland Cotton's ground out tacked on two more runs to the advantage in the third.

A one-out triple in the home half would plate on a single to crack the home team goose egg for the Conquistadors' lone run.

Sydni Williams' drilling of the first pitch with two-outs got the run back in the ensuing fourth inning.

The Cougars put the game away in the fifth sending nine to the plate in scoring five runs on five hits. Krol connected on her second double to drive in the first, Lexi Dryden and Kayden Smith singles each driving in one, and Halie Stoneking's 12th double of the year plating two.

Kayla Beers improved to 8-8 in the circle by scattering five hits and getting gold glove defensive protection by Cotton at shortstop including a variety of diving stops, strong throws, and even back hand glove flip from her knees getting a force out.

Game Two Recap
Barton loaded the bases on three straight hits to begin the game, singles off the bat of Stoneking, Smith, and Williams. Unable to get a run across and down to their final out, Lance put the Cougars on the board lacing a single through the infield.

Following a 1-2-3 Conquistador home half, the Cougars went back to work in the second in opening up a 4-0 run lead. Dryden began the one-out rally with a single followed by Stoneking's second of a team leading three hits, with runs scoring on Smith and Lara RBI singles.

The Conquistadors turned the contest momentum in the third plating five runs in producing consecutive one-out RBI singles before a two-out three-run home run took the lead and chased starter Jessica Morgan from the contest. Elizabeth Horsch took over in the circle and like Beers in game one, got a gold glove effort behind her to get out of the inning from left fielder Stoneking's all-out hustling diving catch robbing a pop-up on the edge of the infield.

The spark correlated to the plate in the fourth, Stoneking roping her team leading 13th double to lead off the frame in scoring on Smith's single. One pitch later Williams launched her second dinger of the day and 8th of the season putting Barton back ahead at 7-5.

Dodge City cut the deficit in half with a two-out double extending the at-bat to score on a single.

After Barton went down in order for the second time of the contest, Dodge City grabbed the lead for good. A one-out double and single chased Horsch, replaced by Williams in plunking the batter to load the bases. Jaycee Patton, who replaced Jaysa Anderson in right field for game two, made a nice running catch near the foul line for the second out of the inning but the sacrifice fly followed by a single put Dodge City up 9-7.

The Cougars went down in order for the second consecutive frame, the Conquistadors driving home a one-out hit by pitch on a triple.

Trailing to their last at-bat, Krol's leadoff hit gave hope but after a groundout the Cougars lined out into a double play to end the contest.

Horsch took the loss in 1.2 innings of work on the three runs dropping to 0-2 on the year. Morgan's no decision start last 2.2 innings, striking out just one in allowing five runs. Williams worked the final 1.2 frames surrendering the Conquistadors final two runs.

The teams each collected ten hits, Barton led by the three from Stoneking with Williams leading the run production with three on two hits.