The Barton Community College softball team surrendered late runs Friday at Cougar Field in dropping a pair of conference games hosting Hutchinson Community College.
Barton's two run lead into the seventh went by the wayside as the Blue Dragons plated four in the frame to win the opener 7-5 then erased the Cougars' two run edge in the fifth inning by scoring five in capturing the sweep on an eventual 8-3 score.
Having lost to No. 6 (Butler) and No. 5 Odessa in its previous meetings, the pair of losses to nationally receiving votes drops Barton to .500 in conference play and overall, slipping to 6-6 in league and 12-12 on the season. Hutchinson improves to 20-4 on the season with a league leading 11-1 record.
The Cougars have a short turnaround with a Saturday trip to Goodland, Kansas, for a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader at Northwest Kansas Technical College before playing its third contest date on Monday in hosting Dodge City Community College in a 1:00 p.m. twin bill.
Game One Recap
Barton plated a pair of runs in each of the first two innings, putting the first two on the board on Kayden Smith's leadoff walk followed by Halie Stoneking scoring on Sydni Williams' ground out and Jaysa Anderson's single. Adreanna Lance led off the second inning with the first of her two hits in the game with Lexi Dryden getting on board an out later drawing a walk. Both would score on Smith's single, driving in Lance from second while Dryden raced around the bags on a Hutchinson outfield error.
Kayla Beers worked out of a first inning jam of a pair of Blue Dragons on the bases, allowing just a second inning walk entering the fourth inning when Hutchinson struck for a pair of runs cutting the deficit to two getting a one-out RBI single and a two-out bases loaded walk.
The Blue Dragons sliced another run off the deficit in the fifth inning on reliever Elizabeth Horsch as a two-out single scored on a double.
Barton got the run back in the ensuing home half of the frame on Lance's leadoff liner over the fence in left center for her fourth of the season.
Following a quiet Hutchinson sixth inning, a one-out double and single brought the call to the bullpen with Jessica Morgan taking over in the circle. Inducing an infield pop-up for the second out, Morgan had Allie Stipsits on the ropes of a 0-2 count but two pitches out of the zone later, Stipsits sent a deep fly down the right field line to one hop the fence driving in the tying runs. Three pitches later Aspen Goetz also favored the right side of the park sending the game winning two-run ball out of the park.
Riley Wertz, who drove in two runs from the plate, shut down the Cougars' sixth inning threat following Dryden's hit and Smith walk but striking out the final two of the frame before sending the Barton seventh inning comeback hopes down in order including her third strikeout in five batters faced.
Wertz improved to 6-0 on the season while Morgan slipped to 6-5.
Game Two Recap
Hutchinson again stranded two runners in the first inning while the Cougars made good on their opportunity as Williams' single put the first run on the board driving in Stoneking's one-out triple.
The Blue Dragons produced the equalizer in the second frame as a leadoff Wertz single scored on Stipsits double for her first of four game two hits.
Barton took its two run lead in the third, Williams collecting her second straight hit with Anderson following with her fourth dinger of the season in driving the first pitch off Kiersten Weitze over the fence in left center.
Aside from the solo run, Morgan kept the Blue Dragons in check, striking out two in each of the first three innings and one in the fourth.
Hutchinson began its back breaking five run fifth inning with a solo home run, Ella Dougherty driving her first collegiate fly over the fence followed by a single to chase Morgan from the game. Williams took over in the circle, Hutchinson with two straight singles to plate another run then following an RBI groundout, Wertz belted her fourth of the season capping the scoring. The Blue Dragons did produce their sixth hit of the inning one batter later but Williams got out of further damage fielding the position to start a 1-6-3 double play as Cotton made the turn at the bag in throwing a strike to Krol
Wertz, who came in to prevent further damage in Barton's third frame, retired eight straight Cougars including six on strikeouts.
Anderson's sixth inning leadoff walk snapped the streak with Lara following with a base hit but Wertz closed the opportunity on two punch outs before inducing a groundout to third.
Hutchinson added solo runs in the sixth and seventh as Barton went down in order in the seventh including Wertz' ninth strikeout.
Wertz, who now trails Morgan's league leading 88 strikeouts by four after her twelve strikeout day, earned her second victory improving to 7-0 on the year while Williams took the loss dropping to 1-1.