The Barton Community College baseball team found its way back home a little bumpy Saturday as the Cougars dropped three of the four games at Kansas City Kansas Community College this weekend.
Rolling to a series opening 15-0 run rule route in Friday's opener, Barton dropped the final three contests falling in the nightcap 10-9 before dropping Saturday's doubleheader 8-7 and 9-5.
Falling to 7-5 on the season, the Cougars will have a quick turnaround in hosting the Junior Varsity squad of Tabor College Monday in 4:00 p.m. 9-inning contest before opening up KJCCC conference play Thursday hosting Pratt Community College in a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader
Game 1
Barton generated runs in four of the six innings with the big punches coming with a five run second and seven run sixth while starting pitcher Zach Thornton and reliever Tegan Cain held the Blue Devils scoreless and to just two hits, three walks and recording seven strikeouts.
Connor Allen paced the Barton bats turning in a 3-for-4 day blasting three of the Cougars four homeruns in the game producing six RBIs with Wade Reynolds recording a three hit performance lacing three doubles and three RBIs.
Alex Rodgers and Ricardo Sanchez rounded out the multi hit performances with a pair each while driving in a pair.
Thornton notched his second victory of the season tossing five innings scattering two hits, walking a pair and striking out six.
Game 2
Trailing 5-1 after two innings, the Cougar bats awoke as an Allen sacrifice fly sparked a five-run frame with Jaden Wiley producing an RBI bases loaded hit-by-pitch and Reynolds bases clearing double handing Barton a 6-5 lead.
The Barton lead would be short lived as KCK stormed back with a three-run home half taking a 8-6 lead on a two RBI double and double-play groundout.
Allen brought the Cougars to within 8-7 in the fifth with his second RBI of the contest and eighth of the day with a double to left scoring Caden Bressler's leadoff single.
Needing two runs to keep the game going following KCK's insurance run in the sixth, Barton sent the tying run to the plate on three separate occasions following a Sanchez leadoff single, but back-to-back strikeouts had the Cougars on the ropes till Chandler Miller launched the clubs fifth homerun of the day on a 2-2 count with two outs knotting it up at 9-9.
Unfortunately, the comeback slipped in the home half of the seventh as a leadoff Blue Devil double followed by sacrifice bunt proceeded to the game winning walk off RBI single.
Allen produced the lone multi hit performance with a 2-for-3 game capping the doubleheader 5-for-7 with eighth RBIs.
Making his first start of the season Jordan Ellison lasted 1.1 innings, allowing seven hits, five runs all earned and striking out two in the no-decision.
Game 3
Facing a 3-1 deficit through the opening two frames, Barton pounced for a five run third claiming a 6-3 lead enflamed by an RBI Joel Nieves double, Rodgers RBI single and Ellison three run blast for his second of the day and seventh on the season.
Rodgers tacked another run to the Cougar lead in the top of the fourth with his second RBI single scoring a Reynolds leadoff walk till the Blue Devils countered back in the home half trimming the deficit to one using a two-out three run rally on back-to-back jacks
A quiet Barton fifth left the door open for the Blue Devils as a leadoff double, one-out walk led to the eventual game tying RBI double and go-ahead RBI groundout giving KCK the lead back at 8-7.
Needing a run working with six outs, the Cougar bats went down in order in the sixth before stranding Rodgers the possible tying run at second following a one-out double in the seventh.
Rodgers led the Barton bats with a 3-for-4 day at the plate driving in two with Ellison driving in four of the seven runs with a 2-for-3 day led by his two homeruns.
Owen Reynolds earned a no-decision working four innings allowing six runs on five hits, walking three and striking out two. Tyrus Riley took the loss tossing two innings allowing two runs on two hits walking one and punching out two.
Game 4
Digging themselves into a 6-0 hold after three innings, the Cougars climbed back to within four on two separate occasions with the first coming in the fourth as a leadoff Ellison walk ensued by a Wiley two-run missile to center tirmed the margin to 6-2.
KCK extended the lead to 9-2 after six innings manufacturing their fifth homerun in the fifth and sixth round tripper of the game in the sixth.
Producing just three baserunners from the fifth through the eighth, Barton outdid their production in the ninth as the opening four batters reached base while clawing back with a four run ninth with Ethan Haufler producing one of two RBI singles with Sanchez delivering the other mixed between a Rodgers RBI groundout before a strikeout and flyout dampened the rally attempt.
Wiley, Reynolds, Haufler combined for six of the Barton nine hits
Making his first start of the season Logan Phillips suffered his first loss of the season allowing five runs, five hits and walking one.