For the second day in a row the Barton Community College baseball team manufactured its' second straight rally in the middle innings picking up a 4-2 victory at Rose State College Saturday afternoon.
Sweeping the two-game set to open the season, the Cougars will look to carry the momentum over in its weekend home opener Saturday and Sunday with the first of the four-game set scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader against Western Nebraska Community College.
Pitchers Hunter Hesseltine and Jordan Ellison held the Raider bats at bay allowing just two runs on five hits and fanning nine while offensively Connor Allen and Dryden Howse each recorded an RBI in the effort.
RECAP
Just like in Friday's season opener, the Cougars jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as a Alex Rodgers leadoff double would eventually account for the game's opening run advancing home on a pickoff attempt of Allen at first base.
The lead stood until the bottom of the third as a Raider leadoff single and sac-bunt had Rose State threatening until a pair of Cougar miscues supplied the home team's lone lead at 2-1.
Stranding six runners from the second inning through the fourth, Rodgers second leadoff double of the day and Ricardo Sanchez hit-by-pitch had Barton in business once more with no-outs. Four pitches later a double steal produced the tying run as Rodgers crossed home after an errant Raider throw. Three pitches later Allen constructed the eventual game winner on an RBI groundout scoring Sanchez. The big inning lingered as the Cougars loaded the bases with a Caden Bressler single and Maldonado hit-by-pitch before Howse drew a four pitch RBI walk giving Barton the eventual 4-2 outcome.
Rose State produced runners on base in four of the final five innings but were unable to strike for any runs stranding a pair in both the seventh and ninth as Ellison was nails in relief.
STATS
Allen, Rodgers and Shawn Marquis each recorded a pair of hits combining for six of the nine Barton knocks.
Hesseltine pitched the opening four innings earning a no-decision allowing two runs both unearned giving up two hits while striking out six and issued a pair of walks.
Ellison was solid out of the bullpen tossing five scoreless frames scattering three hits striking out a pair and walking two in the winning decision.