The Barton Community College and Dodge City Community College baseball teams split a pair of games Saturday at Lawson-Biggs Field as the Cougars took the opener 5-1 before the Conquistadors took the nightcap 8-5. Barton rallied for five runs in the sixth inning to capture game one but committed eight errors in the nightcap as Dodge City put the game away with three eighth inning runs. The Cougars moved to 7-7 in conference play and 15-15 overall while Dodge City goes to 11-7 and 21-9. The teams wrap up the four-game series with another 1:00 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday.
Grant Watkins led off the five run sixth inning with a double over the left fielder's head scoring one batter later on the Conquistadors' third error of the game on Lance White's bunt to third base. Following a Josh Farrington walk, Trevor Hughes came through with the big hit sending a 1-2 pitch to deep right field breaking a 1-all tie driving in two runs in his 3-for-3 performance in the game. After a Bryce Minor sacrifice, Tyler Jennings pushed the lead out to three with a single to right field then scoring later on a passed ball following walks by Jacob Richardson and Trevor Turner.
Alex Evans went the distance for the Cougars giving up only three hits and no earned runs while striking out three improving to 1-3 on the season.
Farrington helped give Barton its lone lead in the second game delivering a two-out triple to right field scoring on Hughes sending a full-count pitch to right.
With game one consisting of five errors, three by the Conquistadors and two by the Cougars, the second game had its struggles as well as the teams combined for eleven turnovers. Three Barton errors in the third turned the lead into a 2-1 deficit.
Dodge City tacked on a solo homer in the fourth but Hughes again brought the Cougars back to within one in the fifth with his third double of the day scoring White who led off with a single.
A leadoff error in the sixth helped lead to two more Dodge City runs but the Conquistadors returned the favor in the seventh allowing Barton to creep back to within one at 5-4.
Consecutive leadoff singles and a hit by pitch immediately loaded the Dodge City bases to begin the eighth. Two fielder's choice plays and an outfield error helped the Conquistadors build a four run lead. The Cougars tried to rally in the ninth with a White leadoff single and Dodge City's third error of the game, but a Minor sacrifice fly would be the lone RBI in the inning.
Jordan Plank took his second straight loss to drop to 5-2 lasting six innings scattering six hits and one walk. The sophomore lefty had five runs cross the plate during his watch with only one being earned.
Hughes again led the Barton bats going 2-for-4 driving in two runs. White was also 2-for-4 while Minor's 1-for-3 drove in two as the Cougars were narrowly outhit 10-8 in the game.