The Barton Community College baseball team utilized a pair of solid pitching performances Thursday afternoon at Lawson-Biggs Field as the Cougars rode to a doubleheader sweep over Cloud County Community College.
In the opener, left-handed starter Graham Brunner established the tone on the bump tossing to a complete game 10-2 victory while the dominance on the hill carried over in the nightcap with starter Brenton Thiels going 6-innings allowing just one run in the 7-1 winning effort.
The victory moves Barton into a three-team second place tie in the Jayhawk West at 18-12 and 31-16 on the year while the fifth place T-Birds sit a game back at 17-13 in the conference and dip to 28-20 on the season. The two teams will conclude the four-game set and regular season Friday afternoon at Lee Doyen Field in Concordia, KS with first pitch of the doubleheader slated for 2:00 p.m.
Game 1 Recap:
Brunner earned his fourth straight victory and matched his highest season outing going the distance.
Brummer now (7-2) overcame a 1-0 deficit as a Cougar error gave the T-Birds their lone lead of the game in the top of the second. The southpaw struck out seven and walked just two, allowing six hits and two runs (one earned).
Offensively Barton outhit the opposition 11-6, as freshman Alex Rodgers paced the Cougars with a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the dish including his team leading seventh triple. Connor Allen broke things open in the fourth delivering one of his two knocks with a bases clearing 3-RBI triple. Wade Reynolds recorded Barton's other lone multi-RBI game driving in a pair to go with his 2-for-3 day.
Game 2 Recap:
Rodgers went 2-for-3 with a double and pair of RBI's to lead Barton's 10-hit attack in the nightcap.
Carson Pracht added a 2-for-3 showing driving in a pair of Cougars and crossing the plate ones. Colter Maldonado rounded out the trio of multi-hit performances for Barton with a 2-for-4 appearance while knocking in one and coming around to score twice.
Barton's bottom two batters, Maldonado and Payton Sparks were a combined 4-for-7 with an RBI and three runs scored.
The Cougar offense cashed in on seven walks including four straight in the five run sixth.
Starter Theils (2-1) worked the opening six innings to earn the win in just his second start of the season. The Otis, Louisiana native allowed four hits and one run while walking a pair and fanning seven tying his career high set back on March 3rd against Northeastern Community College..
Hayden Baumwart tossed three scoreless frames out of the bullpen allowing two hits, walking and striking one.