Walkoff victory propels Cougars' series sweep over Western Nebraska

The Barton Community College baseball team needed a Sunday rally in game one scoring four runs in the final two innings for a 6-5 victory before a five run third broke open the nightcap for a 10-2 series finale to complete its weekend sweep at Lawson-Biggs Field over Western Nebraska Community College.   Improving to 10-2 on the season while dropping Western Nebraska to 4-8, Barton will next have a Tuesday 3:00 p.m. nine inning game hosting the junior varsity squad from McPherson College before the weekend's conference opening series at Butler Community College.   

Having already taken the first two games of the series on Saturday, Barton began Sunday's action with three hits, the first from Corrigan Bartlett before Trey Pittman's two out triple and Kaden Fowler's single giving the Cougars an early two run lead.  After stranding two in the previous two innings, Western Nebraska put two aboard in the fourth with one-out singles before launching a two out rally with three more singles with a double lighting up the visitor's side of the scoreboard for a 5-2 lead.

The Barton bats stayed silent the next two innings while Taylor Langston, who relieved starter Jarrett Seaton with two outs in the fourth, kept the Western Nebraska bats just as chilly sending the visiting Cougars down in order for the final three innings.

Michael Sinks' second double of the game led off the pivotal sixth with an ensuing passed ball moving him to third.  Bartlett drew a four pitch walk and drawing the attention of WNCC's Alex Achterman for two throws at the first base bag, the third attempt got past the first baseman allowing Sinks to score and Bartlett to scamper into second.   Breaking on contact, Bartlett got into third on Cole Henley's ground out scoring two pitches later on Pittman's second triple of the game to right center.  With Pittman ninety feet from tying the contest, WNCC right fielder Lucas Piatchek fielded Kaden Fowler's line out throwing to the plate getting the double play tag out of Pittman at the plate preserving the one run lead.

Following Langston's third consecutive inning sending the WNCC batters down in order, Barton received a break from the Cougar defense as Dawson Pomeroy's one-out ground ball would get the freshman to second base following a throwing error.  With pinch runner Derek Johnson inserted for Pomeroy, Johnson took off for third on a wild pitch just sliding under the tag to become getting ninety feet closer.  Fighting off a 2-2 pitch, Brett Bonar pulled the ball to the right side being tossed out at first as Johnson crossed the plate for the tying run.  

With the score tied but down to their final out, Alan Clark caught the Cougar defense off guard laying down a perfectly placed bunt down to keep the inning alive.  Two pitches later and Clark swiped his fourth base of the series putting the winning run in scoring position.  Faced with a 1-2 count, Sinks scorched the fourth pitch through the infield with Clark setting fire around the bases scoring standing up on the game winning hit setting off a mass of Cougars sprinting across the diamond in a celebratory beatdown of Sinks' clutch hit.

Sinks led the Cougars bats with three hits while Pittman's two triples accounting for five of the eight Barton hits.  Langston picked up the win for his first of the season pitching the final 3.1 innings scattering two hits and striking out four.

In game two the Cougars again took an early lead getting Sinks and Bartlett aboard with walks as a two base throwing error and passed ball would give Barton an early two run lead.   Western Nebraska would get the runs back in the next inning getting a one-out double followed by a triple and ground out to tie things up.

Getting the game two start in center, Johnson led off the third with a five pitch walk before drawing eleven pickoff attempts in between five pitches to the plate where Sinks patiently awaited.  Johnson would eventually steal second and four pitches later Sinks joined him on the base paths with a nine pitch walk.  Bartlett wasted no time on the ensuing at bat roping a liner to left driving home Johnson with Sinks following him to the plate after an outfield misplay.  Bartlett would score one pitch later on Pittman's fly out to right pushing Barton's lead to three. 

Following Pomeroy's one out single, the Cougars kept applying the pressure executing a double steal setting up Brady Michel's RBI producing single with Pomeroy scoring on another outfield error pushing the lead out to five through three.

Barton ended their ten run scoring game with three in the sixth, all coming with two outs.  Bartlett got things going with a left field double followed by Pittman connecting on his third triple of the day.  Ryan Schippers drove his lone hit of the day into the left field grass driving in Pittman before Pomeroy capped the scoring delivering a triple to complete his 2-for-4 afternoon.

Henley picked up his second win of the season going seven innings in scattering six hits with five strikeouts against no walks.  Daniel Kohl pitched the final two innings and despite giving up two hits and two walks, battled back with three strikeouts and induced an inning ending 6-4-3 double play to end the eighth.

Joining Bartlett's 4-for-4 game in the multi-hit club, Pittman, Pomeroy, and Michel each collected two hits with Pittman's two RBI's leading the team.