The Barton Community College baseball team scored early and often Wednesday evening at Lawson-Biggs Field winning 15-3 taking their second run-rule victory over Brown Mackie College in the last week. Defeating the Lions 13-3 a week ago, the Cougars erased an early run deficit with five runs through the first three innings before breaking it open with an eight run fourth inning. Winning their tenth straight game Barton improves to 12-5 on the season while keeping Brown Mackie winless dropping to 0-18. Barton will return to conference action this weekend as Butler Community College comes to Lawson-Biggs Field for a four game set with Saturday and Sunday's first pitch slated for 1:00 p.m.
Barton answered Brown Mackie's first inning two out RBI double with discipline at the plate. Drake Bliss led off the inning with a single before three walks pushed across a two-out run.
A Derek Johnson would open the Cougars' second inning trip to the plate before Alan Clark's second triple of the season put Barton ahead for good as Ryan Schippers first of three hits in the game producing the first of his three RBIs.
A hit by pitch and infield bunt single preceded a Lions RBI single in the third but an inning killer double 6-4-3 double play would keep the damage to a solo run. The Cougars would get the run back in the home half of the inning as Matthew Baca launched a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence for the second of his inaugural collegiate year.
An eight run fourth inning would put the game away as the Cougars found the gap for three triples leading the way. Dayton Pomeroy began the fun on the second at-bat of the inning driving home Michael Sinks.
Following a Schippers RBI single to left and a Cole Henley single up the middle, Baca collected his second hit with a deep drive to the center driving in two more of his four RBI game. Johnson drew his second walk of the contest one-out later and following a Clark double to right, Bliss went shopping at the center gap driving in two. Pomeroy would cap the inning with his second hit of the frame driving a hard ground ball through the left scoring Bliss as Barton was in full command at 13-2.Following a scoreless fifth, a Cougar infield error left an opening and two singles later the Lions capitalized for a run.
With Clark drawing a leadoff sixth inning walk followed by Bliss centerfield single, the Cougars were set up for another big inning if not for the double play ball. Brant Millerborg restarted the engine with a full-count two-out walk and one pitch later Schippers completed his three RBI game with a liner to center driving home two for the final 15-3 margin.
Dexter Coughtrey picked up his second win of the season, both at the demise of the Lions, improving to 2-0. Coughtrey worked three innings Wednesday striking out three to get the victory with Avery Riedmiller also putting in a solid three frames of work striking out six. Ryan McClure worked the final inning striking out two Lions as the Barton pitching staff would strike out eleven on the night.