Cougars split West opener
The Barton County Community College baseball team split its Jayhawk West opener with Cloud County, losing 10-7 and winning 4-1, Sunday at Cougar Fields in Great Bend. The split leaves the Cougars at 10-8 overall this season and 1-1 in West play.

Highlights
The Cougars received a great pitching effort from freshman Ryan Phillips in the nightcap to preserve the split with the Thunderbirds. Phillips pitched six strong innings, allowing just four hits and one run. Phillips also struck out 8 while walking just 1 in the win to improve to 3-0 for the season.

With Phillips strong effort on the mound, the Cougars didn't need many runs. Barton took a 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning thanks to a walk and a 2-run homer by Patrick Wallis, his second of the season. The Cougars pushed it to 3-0 in the 4th innings when Jeff Christy scored on an error. After Phillips allowed his only run on the game in the top of the 6th, Barton answered back with a run in the bottom of the inning as Glenn Jackson drove in Josh Schaub. Brendon Bump picked up his 3rd save of the season with a scoreless 7th.

Barton looked to be in good shape in the opener as well, building a 5-3 lead on Cloud heading into the 6th inning. The Cougars overtook the Thunderbirds in the bottom of the 5th as Schaub and Jackson each drove in a run and scored a run. TJ Liles had an RBI single in the inning and shortstop Steve Elson added a run.

But the lead didn't hold for Barton as ace Andrew Burdine got into trouble in the top of the 6th. Three of the first four Cloud batters in the inning hit home runs and all four scored in the inning. Burdine faced the first three batters before being relieved. But it didn't seem to work as Cloud County batted 10 time and scored 7 for a 10-5 lead. Barton cut it to 10-7 in the bottom of the 7th as Michael Roberts doubled in two runs, but it was not enough for the Cougars.

Next
The Cougars next scheduled contest will be Wednesday at Liberal against defending West champions Seward County. The Saints were ranked No. 15 in the latest NJCAA poll.

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Check out Barton County Baseball Online at www.bartonccc.edu/sports