The 19th ranked Barton Community College baseball team opened Jayhawk Conference play Wednesday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep over host Colby Community College at Young Memorial Field.
In the opener, the Cougars rode David Stuart's first collegiate complete game shutout earning a 6-0 victory before completing the doubleheader sweep scoring eight runs in the 10th inning notching a 13-5 result.
Winning their fifth straight, Barton improves to 19-2 on the season while Colby falls to 2-4 in conference and 7-14 overall. The teams will switch locations to the Cougars' Lawson-Biggs Field on Friday to complete the four game series in a 1:00 p.m. first pitch doubleheader with mother nature shifting the games up a day.
Game 1 Recap
Dryden Howse would provide Barton with the lone run needed in the top of the second launching a two-out fence clearer to left for his second of the season. The Cougars would look strong both offensively and defensively following as the Trojans would be limited to just three hits total and four total base runners over the seven innings.
Playing small ball in the fifth, Barton increased their lead out to 3-0 as singles by Grant Nottlemann and Riley Silva would produce a pair of runs off a Colby error and Ricardo Sanchez sacrifice fly.
Getting their first hit of the game on a two-out single in the bottom of the fifth, the Trojans would be unable to capitalize with a two-out rally, as one of seven Stuart strikeouts on the afternoon would spoil the potential threat.
The Cougars would put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh as a Robby Bolin hit-by-pitch and Silva single with one out produced another Sanchez RBI single. Ayden Blachowicz and Jaron Cotton would each drive home a run with RBI singles to cap off the three-run inning.
Stuart would toss his first collegiate shutout striking out seven and allowing just three hits over his 76 pitches thrown.
Sanchez paced the bats driving in a pair of runs finishing 2-for-3 with a run scored while Howse, Nottlemann and Silva rounded out the multi-hit performances.
Game 2 Recap
Falling behind after a leadoff Colby home run to open the home second, Barton would respond with the tying run in the top of the third as a two-out rally sparked behind a Quinton Robertson single and Blachowicz walk operated the tying marker on a Cotton single to right.
The Cougars would grab their first lead of game two in the top of the third as a Howse leadoff walk and Heyman plunking ignited a two-run inning. Ensuing an Owen Bailey sacrifice bunt, a Bolin first pitch swinging single brought in Howse with Silva making it 3-1 on the next pitch producing a sacrifice fly to right.
Leaving the bases loaded in the top of the fifth following a leadoff Blachowicz walk, one-out Howse single and two-out Bailey drawn hit-by-pitch, the Trojan bats would profit behind a three run home run to left handing Colby a 4-3 lead.
Responding once again, a Silva leadoff walk and Robertson sacrifice bunt to open the top of the sixth yielded to the tying run on a Blachowicz single.
With momentum staying on the Cougars side in the top of the seventh, Barton would load the bases on walks by Howse and Nottlemann mixed between a Hayman single with no outs. Ensuing a line out double play leaving runners at the corners, a Colby error on the succeeding play brought home Hayman for the go-ahead run.
A pair of Tyrus Riley strikeouts following a leadoff single had the Trojans down to their final out and strike before a single on a 1-2 count and double to left on a 2-0 count brought around the tying run. Ahead in the count 0-2, Riley locked in on the bump inducing a groundout to strand the winning run at third.
In extra-innings, Barton would put the first three batters on as a Silva walk, Sanchez single and Trojan error allowed pinch hitter Trent Reitmayer to reach and Silva to score with the go-ahead run. Following a Blachowicz sacrifice bunt and a Cotton hit-by-pitch loading the bases, Howse brought home the second run drawing a bases loaded walk. Hayman would follow with an RBI groundout scoring the third run with a Nottlemann walk loading the bags again setting up a bases clearing Bolin triple to center. The Cougars final two runs would cross on singles by Silva and Sanchez capping the eight run 10th.
Turning to Hunter Jones out of the bullpen, Colby would manage a one-out walk with Jones recording a strikeout and groundout spoiling any Trojan rally attempt.
Making his first start since his last coming 16 days ago, Reece Hemmerling went 4.1-innings surrendering four runs on four hits, walking four and striking out four earning a no-decision.
Notching his second victory of the season, Riley improved to 2-0 on the year working 4.2-innings out of the bullpen tossing 4.2-innings scattering four hits, allowing one run, walking two and fanning six Trojans.