Cougars sweep Cloud County; tied for 1st in West
The Barton County Community College baseball team continued to shine at home this season, sweeping Cloud County Sunday afternoon at Lawson Field in Great Bend. The Cougars have now won all 4 West games at home and are 11-2 on the season in the friendly confines. The sweep also put Barton in a tied virtual tie with Hutchinson for the top spot in the Jayhawk West. Barton is now 8-4 in the West while Hutch fell to 10-6 after being swept in Pratt Sunday. Barton is now 2 games ahead of everyone in the conference in the loss column. The Cougars improved to 17-13 overall this season. Cloud County fell to 8-8 in the West and 16-14 for the season. Barton will be back at home today with an opportunity to take sole possession of the West lead when the Cougars host Butler County in make-up contests at 3 pm.
Highlights
Brent Biggs had a big day in the sweep of the Thunderbirds as the sophomore 2nd baseman went 3-for-6 with 6 RBI and 3 runs scored on the day. Austin Holt (5-for-6, 3 runs scored), Wade Gubbels (4-for-6, 3 RBI, 3 runs scored), and Tyler Metcalf (3-for-3, 3 RBI) were a few more of the Cougars who turned in big days at the plate for Barton. Barton got a pair of good pitching efforts as well as Brett McBride and Luke Kramer earned wins for the Cougars.
In the opener, McBride was strong for 6 innings as Barton built a 5-1 lead on the Thunderbirds. After Cloud County took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning, Barton came back with a big 3rd inning to grab a 4-1 lead. Biggs had the big blow in the inning, driving 3 runs. Anthony Dreiling was hit by a pitch to start the inning then Tim Ruble and Holt both singled to load the bases for Biggs. Biggs doubled in all 3 runners and later scored in the inning on a balk. Barton made it 5-1 when Ty Stivers drove in Holt in the 5th inning.
McBride, meanwhile, kept the T-Birds at bay, scattering 7 hits through the first 6 innings for a lone run. But back-to-back doubles to start the 7th got Nate Hedrick busy in the bullpen and after a strikeout by McBride for the 1st out of the inning, Hedrick entered the contest. The 6-10 fireballer walked one and struck out one as he kept Cloud County off the scoreboard and secured the 5-2 win for Barton. McBride improved to 2-1 on the season and lowered his ERA to 5.01. Hedrick collected his 5th save of the season.
The Cougars took early command in the nightcap as well, again thanks in large part to Biggs. Holt started the bottom of the 1st with a walk and a stolen base before Biggs hit a 2-run homer to give Barton a 2-0 lead. That would grow to 4-0 as Metcalf drove in Gubbels and Stivers with a single. The onslaught continued in the 3rd as Barton plated 4 more runs. Gubbles and David Wilson started the inning with back-to-back triples. After a ground out, Metcalf and Dreiling had back-to-back doubles and the Cougars had a 7-2 lead. Barton made it 8-2 when Dreiling scored on a Holt single.
A 2-run homer by Gubbels in the 4th made it 10-2. It was the 4th homer of the year for Gubbels to give him the team lead ahead of Biggs with 3. Barton ended the game with 5th inning with 3 more runs and 13-3 win. Biggs drove in his team-leading 24th run of the season in the inning, scoring Brandon Wells for an 11-3 lead. Gubbels singled in Holt and Biggs scored the game-ending run on a bases-loaded single by Wilson.
Luke Kramer earned the win for Barton, going the full 5 innings, scattering 7 hits and allowing 3 runs.
Stats
Complete stats can be found at www.bartonccc.edu
Next
Sun., April 2 – v Cloud County, 1 pm (West doubleheader at Lawson Field)