Cougars drop pair to Seward, roll to sweep at Pratt
The Barton County Community College baseball team has a sleuth of game in a short time thanks to the weather. Barton hosted a hastily switched twinbill Monday against Seward County then went on the road Tuesday for a rescheduled doubleheader at Pratt. Barton lost 2 to the Saints Monday but swept the Beavers Tuesday to go 2-2 over the 2 days. Barton is 13-7 in the Jayhawk West and 27-17 overall this season. The series of games continues through the next 2 weeks as Barton will play 7 more doubleheaders over the next 12 days.

Highlights
Barton gave up 17 runs in 2 innings against Seward to seal its fate. The Cougars led 1-0 after 2 on a David Wilson homer in the opener but a 9-run explosion by Seward in the 3rd made gave the Saints an 8-run lead. Barton responded with 6 in the bottom of the inning to make it 9-7. Kenny Burkhead and Tyler Rzepka each drove in 2 in the inning to keep Barton in the game. It didn't last long, however, as Seward added 8 in the 4th for a 17-7 lead and the eventual final score.

In the 2nd game, a Burkhead 2-run homer in the 2nd keyed the Cougars on the way to a 4-0 lead on Seward but another big inning by the Saints – a 6-run 3rd – put Barton chasing the Saints again. The Cougars hung around trailing just 7-5 into the 7th but 3 more Seward runs in the 7th put some distance between the 2 teams as Seward won 10-5. Burkhead had 3 hits and Holt 2 in the loss.

Barton exploded for 31 runs during its twinbill at Pratt the day after getting swept by Seward. Barton won 16-1 and 15-6 against the Beavers. The Cougars used an 8-run 2nd to take command against Pratt in the opener. Rzepka had 3-run homer in the inning and Wilson a 2-run homer. Tyler Metcalf also drove in a pair. Metcalf ended the game 4-for-4 with 4 RBI and 2 runs scored. Rzepka also ended with 4 RBI and Wilson 3. Ryan Anthony tossed a 3-hitter, giving up 1 run in the 5th and final inning.

Barton scored in 5 of the 7 innings in the nightcap at Pratt as the Cougars pounded out 17 hits on its way to 15 runs. The 17 hits were the 2nd highest total of the season for Barton. Burkhead and Mitch Cooper each had 3 hits as every Cougar that batted had at least 1 hit. Rzepka, Wilson, Metcalf, and Anthony Dreiling each had 2 hits. Cooper and Wilson each drove in 3 runs and Dreiling scored 3 times for the Cougars. All 6 runs for Pratt were unearned.

Stats
Stats can be found at www.bartonccc.edu/sports

Next
April 21 – at Cloud County
April 22 – at Seward County