The Barton Community College baseball team had the season come to a close Wednesday afternoon in the Region VI Plains District Tournament falling to Cloud County Community College 11-6 at Kansas State University's Tointon Family Stadium. .
Grasping a 3-2 lead in the fourth, the Cougars were unable to overcome a contagious seven hit, six run T-Birds sixth inning.
Claiming the program's 10th Jayhawk West regular season title, Barton closes out the 2022 campaign at 41-18 after dropping back-to-back games in the Region VI Plains District Tournament. Cloud County extends its' season to Thursday's 1:00 p.m. elimination contest against Johnson County Community College.
Facing a 2-0 deficit succeeding a Kolden Howerton two-out, two-RBI triple, the Cougars would waste a prime opportunity in the home first leaving the bags loaded following a two-out Henry Hayman single and back-to-back Dryden Howse and Connor Allen walks.
Aided by a second inning one-out error allowing Jace Stewart to reach, Alex Rodgers put the Cougars on the scoreboard a batter later cutting the deficit in half with a two-out RBI single up the middle.
Barton would load the bags for the second time in three innings, but squandered opportunities lingered for the Cougar offense generating just the tying run on a double-play after loading the bags with no-outs behind Hayman's second hit of the day coming on a double and back-to-back Howse and Allen walks.
Mounting together a two-out rally, Barton broke through for their first and lone lead in the fourth as a Ricardo Sanchez RBI single snapped a 0-for-6 stretch bring home a Rodgers hit-by-pitch.
Holding the T-Birds scoreless over four straight frames, the Cloud sticks would catch fire in the top of the sixth grasping the lead back exploding for six runs behind three doubles and four singles.
Down but not out, Barton mended one final push in the seventh as a one-out Shawn Marquis two-RBI double brought home back-to-back Hayman and Howse singles to open the frame. One batter later, Colter Maldonado concluded the three-run inning bringing the Cougars within a pair legging out an RBI pinch hit single.
The momentum would shift back in favor of the T-Birds in the final two innings as a Tom Poole leadoff eighth inning home run and pair of runs crossing off a Barton miscue in the ninth while sending Barton down in order over the final two frames.
Hayman led the offensive charge turning in a 3-for-4 day at the dish with Marquis turning in the other lone multi-hit performance with a 2-for-5 afternoon and knocking in a pair..
Starting pitcher Owen Reynolds earned a no-decision working the opening two-innings allowing two runs on one hit, walking and striking out a pair. Reliever David Stuart (3-2) suffered the loss out of the bullpen surrendering four hits, three runs and fanning a pair.