Cougars split games at Butler; remain 2nd in West
The Barton County Community College baseball team split a pair of games in El Dorado Wednesday against Butler County to remain in 2nd place in the Jayhawk West. Barton won the opener at McDonald Park by a 4-3 score then fell in the 2nd game 3-1 to the Grizzlies. The split kept Barton in 2nd place in the West with just 8 West games remaining. Barton is 16-8 in the West and 25-17 overall. Butler is 10-12 and 23-14. The Cougars will be on the road Saturday in Colby before returning home to take on Seward County Monday afternoon in a 1 pm start at Lawson Field.

Highlights
The Cougars had two pitching efforts Brock Nehls and Logan Smith but the bats could only muster enough runs to get Barton one win in the twinbill. Nehls picked up the win in the opener allowing the one run and striking out 8 while tossing a 6 innings. Chad Lee earned the save despite allowing a pair of runs in the 7th and final inning.

Barton grabbed a 2-0 lead in the opening at bat as Brent Biggs singled and Robbie Adams followed with a home run. Butler cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the inning before Nehls settled in a didn't allow another run through his 6 innings. The Cougars made it 3-1 in the 3rd as Tim Ruble singled and scored on an Adams single. Tyler Metcalf scored in the 4th after singling and coming home on a Anthony Dreiling single.

In the nightcap, Smith was a hard-luck loser for the 3rd time this season, throwing 5 innings and giving up just 5 hits and 2 earned runs. Barton lone run came in the top of 1st again as Austin Holt started the game with a walk and scored on a David Wilson single.

Stats
Complete stats can be found at www.bartonccc.edu

Next
Sat., April 15 – at Colby, 1 pm (West doubleheader at Colby)
Mon., April 17 – v Seward County, 1 pm (West doubleheader at Lawson Field in Great Bend)