The Barton Community College baseball team split its four-game series at Seward County Community College this past weekend. The Cougars rebounded on Saturday from a six inning 11-1 loss capturing the nightcap in a high scoring 17-12, then rallied for five final inning runs stealing Sunday's first game 11-9 before faltering to a 10-0 seven inning loss to wind up the weekend. The weekend leaves Barton in the sixth spot in conference play at 13-15 and 27-22 on the season while Seward County remains a spot ahead of the Cougars at 16-12 and an identical 27-22 overall record. Next up for the Cougars will be a mid-week non-conference contest hosting national receiving votes Hutchinson Community College before wrapping up the regular season next weekend against first place Colby Community College. First pitch for Wednesday's nine inning game at Lawson-Biggs Field set for 5:00 p.m. while the weekend series slated for 1:00 p.m.
Michael Sinks led a thirty-six hit weekend for the Cougars going 8-of-17 with four of Barton's seven doubles in the series. Sinks' five runs batted in was second to only Matthew Baca's six RBIs with five coming in game two on Saturday as the Wichita freshman connected on his third homerun of the season in Barton's 17-12 win.
As the Cougars were limited to just three hits and twelve strikeouts in game one, Sinks provided the lone RBI giving Barton a then 1-0 lead in the third inning. Mason Hightower led off the inning with a walk and following a Drake Bliss single, Sinks fought off four two strike pitches before driving a ground ball to left scoring Hightower.
Garret Rogers took the loss dropping to 1-2 on the season lasting 3.1 innings as the Saints connected for ten hits scoring eight runs and benefitting on two Barton errors.
Jackson Rose's 4.2 innings earned the Omaha sophomore the victory in game two Saturday improving to 5-1 allowing three runs and striking out seven for a team leading forty-eight on the season.
With the Cougars up 4-2 going into the fifth, Barton exploded for nine runs in the inning sending fourteen players to the plate. Sinks had a leadoff double to begin the action with doubles being added by Baca and Bliss while the Saints compounded the big inning with two errors.
Following a fifteen hit performance to wrap up Saturday's play, the Cougars put together thirteen to begin the day on Sunday with five coming in the final inning erasing a three run deficit.
Trailing 9-6 to the final frame, Corrigan Bartlett, Cole Henley, and Ryan Schippers led off the inning with singles. Getting one across thanks to a Seward County error, Hightower brought the Cougars to within one while Bliss' fielder's choice knotted thing up with one out. Sinks then stepped to the plate jump on the first pitch driving a shot to center for his second double of the game and a more important two runs for the game winner.
Daniel Kohl picked up the win in improving to 4-0 in the Overland Park freshman's campaign, pitching the final 1.1 innings without allowing a hit.
Ending the series in a similar manner to how it began, the Barton bats went silent in the finale as Sinks again led the way with two of Barton's five hits.
Cody Brewer took the loss allowing three runs and eight hits in three innings of work dropping to 1-4 on the season.
In addition to Baca's homerun over the weekend, Schippers belted his first collegiate long ball as the Hays TMP freshman led off the fifth inning of Sunday's game one with a left field shot giving Barton a then 6-4 lead.