Barton Softball advances to Region 6 Title game for first time since 2021 #GoBarton

The No. 3 seeded Barton Community College softball team advanced to its first Region 6 Tournament championship game since 2021 after defeating No. 4 seed Garden City Community College 5-3 in the winner's bracket final on Saturday afternoon at Legends Park in Dodge City.

The Cougars benefited behind a third consecutive fast start scoring four of their five runs during two-out first-inning rally while starting pitcher Meleia Ingram held the potent Broncbuster offense to just six hits and three runs.

Barton improves to 35-14 on the year and advances to Sunday's Region 6 Tournament championship game to face the winner of the 12:00 p.m. elimination game between No. 4 seed Garden City and No. 1 seed Butler after the Grizzlies advances with a 8-3 win over No. 2 seed Hutchinson late Saturday evening.

The Cougars will be seeking their first Region 6 Title since 2015 and fifth overall in program history.

The first of Allyson McDougal's three singles and perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate kickstarted Barton's two-out four run opening frame. Chloe Enslinger's succeeding badge of honor generated the first run across on Peyton McCormick's double followed behind Elina Bartlett's three-run blast to straight away center for her ninth of the season capping the Cougars four run frame all coming with two-away.

Garden City broke through with their first run on a sacrifice bunt scoring the first of back-to-back leadoff singles cutting the magin to 4-1.

Unable to capitalize on a bases loaded one-out opportunity in the bottom of the second following Bartlett and Karter Alvord singles and Mia Mascarenas walk, the Broncbusters would draw within 4-3 with a run in both the fourth and fifth. 

Stranding two of their 10 left on base after Alvord's one-out single and Morgan Thatcher's two-out walk in the fifth, the Cougars would break through with the insurance tally in the sixth as Aly Lawrence leadoff walk would make it a 5-3 game on McCormick's RBI hustling fielder's choice eliminating a possible inning ending double-play. 

The Broncbusters drew the tying run to the plate in the seventh as a one-out walk would reach but Alvord's SportsCenter top-10 diving catch robbing Garden City of a possible single up the middle and Ingram's fifth strikeout of the afternoon shut down the rally attempt sending Barton onto the Region 6 Championship game.

Ingram went the distance for the 18th time this season, improving to 19-5 on the year scattering six hits, three runs with a walk and the five punchouts.

McDougal's 3-for-3 afternoon led a trio of Cougars with multi-hit performances helping Barton outhit the Broncbusters 8-6.

Bartlett led the RBI production with a trio on her three-run first inning home run going 2-for-4 while Alvord concluded the multi-hits with a 2-for-2 game.