Barton dodges rain to beat Neosho; Smith set single season saves mark
The Barton Community College baseball team has dealt with time changes, date changes and even venue changes this year due to the wet spring. So the constant shifting of the Region VI 1st round playoff series with Neosho wasn't a bother to them. The games finally got in Monday in Chanute and Barton promptly ended them Monday as well, winning 4-3 and 11-6 to advance to the double elimination tournament in Wichita this weekend. In the process Drew Smith put his name alone in the Barton record books with his 12th save of the season in the 4-3 win. Smith breaks his tie with Brad Schmidt, who has held the record for more than 20 years.

Highlights
Matt Robertson pitched a gem for Barton, going 8 strong innings, allowing just 6 hits and striking out 5 with no walks. Robertson held Neosho scoreless for the opening 7 innings to improve to 5-4 on the year. Barton took a 1-0 lead in the 4th when Kent Urban doubled to start the and scored on a David Allbritton single. The Cougars pushed that lead to 4-0 with 3 unearned runs in the 7th. Kensley Dukes drove in Bryce Wells with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead and Urban singled in Hugo Hernandez to make it 3-0. Urban then scored on the Panthers' 2nd error of the inning for a 4-0 lead. Smith didn't have his best outing of the year to close the game – allowing 2 runs on 3 hits – but it was enough to lock down the win and record-setting 12th save.

In the nightcap, Barton pounded away during the middle innings and put the game away in the 8th. Barton took a 2-0 lead 4th when Urban singled, stole 2nd and scored on an Allbritton single. Brett Schwartz later drove in Allbritton. After Barton fell behind 4-2 in the bottom of the 4th Allbritton gave the Cougars the lead for good with a 3-run homer that scored Urban and Dustin Phelps. Two more runs in the 6th made it 7-4 in favor of the Cougars. Barton was holding a slim 7-5 lead into the 8th when the Cougars put up a 4-spot capped by a 2-run single by Hernandez.

Smith already passed Schmidt on the all-time saves chart earlier this year and now has 20 for his career. Schmidt mark was 16. Schmidt still does, however, hold the lowest ERA for a season with his 1.09 set in 1987.

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

Next
May 9 – v Garden City, 1 pm (Region VI Championships at Lawrence-Dumont in Wichita)