Cougars sweep Dodge in West play
The Barton County Community College baseball team swept Dodge City for the 2nd time this season, earning 20-1 and 10-1 wins over the Conquistadors Wednesday afternoon at Lawson-Biggs Field in Great Bend. The wins made it 3 straight for the Cougars, who also beat Brown Mackie Tuesday night by a 9-2 margin. Barton is now 20-14 overall this season and 6-4 in the West. The Cougars will embark on a 6-game, 4-day road trip over the Easter Break, starting with a doubleheader at Seward Friday. The Cougars then travel to El Dorado Saturday then after taking Easter Day off, will be in Garden City Monday. All games are West doubleheaders.

Highlights
Barton, with a little help from Dodge, exploded for all 20 runs in the opening game in a back-to-back innings. Trailing 1-0 heading into the 2nd inning, Barton put 9 runs on the board on 5 hits and 3 walks, a hit batsman and 2 Dodge errors. That was topped an 11-run 3rd inning in which the Cougars 11 on 8 hits, 4 walks, and a Dodge error. That would be more than enough for starter Michael Bell, who tossed all 5 innings, giving up just 4 hits and walking 1.

Austin Holt, Kenny Burkhead, and Tyler Metcalf all drove in 3 runs for Barton while Ty Stivers and Tyler Rzepka added 2 RBI each. Rzepka was 4-for-4 during the game with the 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. Burkhead had 2 hits. Holt and Marc Albers joined Rzepka with 3 runs scored.

In the 2nd game, Barton jumped to a 6-0 lead in the opening inning highlighted by a Stivers bases-loaded single that scored 3 runs. Barton added 2 runs in each the 5th and 6th to end the contest with the 10-1 win. Metcalf had 3 hits in the game while Stivers drove in 3 runs. Kevin Large struck out 10 in 6 innings of work. The left-hander allowed just 3 hits and walked 1 for the win.

Tuesday night against Brown Mackie, Barton also scored early, taking a 5-2 lead after 3 innings. Derrick Heckman threw the 1st 5 innings for Barton to pick up the win, allowing just 3 hits and 1 earned run. David Graham tossed 3 innings in relief, striking out 4 in his 1st action of the season. Anthony Dreiling had 2 hits for Barton while David Wilson drove in 2 runs.

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

Next
April 3 – v Brown Mackie, 6 pm (Single, 9-inning contest at Lawson-Biggs field in Great Bend)