The 5th ranked Barton Community College baseball team reached the 40-win mark for the second consecutive year and fourth time under ninth year Head Coach Brent Biggs Thursday afternoon at Lawson-Biggs Field earning a doubleheader sweep of Cloud County Community College.
Reliever Bryan Bartels closed the door spoiling a late T-Birds rally securing a 5-4 victory in the opener before riding Quinton Robertson's fifth inning grand slam in the nightcap to compete the doubleheader sweep, 7-4.
The pair of victories give the Cougars a five-game advantage in the Jayhawk West standings at 19-3 while improving to 40-5 on the year with the pair of losses dropping the T-Birds from third to fourth in the league standings at 13-8 and 28-17 overall.
The two teams will get back at it Saturday as the series shifts locations to Concordia's Lee Doyen Field for a scheduled 1:00 p.m. twin bill.
Game 1 Recap
The Cougars took charge early with a four run first inning. Succeeding a T-Bird error that plated a Ricardo Sanchez one-out triple, sophomore Dryden Howse connected for his team tying fifth home run of the season launching a two-run missile to right. Two batters later Ayden Blachowicz made it 4-0 blasting the second-long fly of the frame with his first of the season.
Back-to-back Sanchez and Robby Bolin singles to open the home third mounted another run with Sanchez scoring again off a Cloud County error on Bolin's steal attempt at second making it 5-0.
Holding a 5-1 lead entering the top of the seventh, a one-out hit-by-pitch ensued by three straight singles producing three runs made it 5-4. With the tying run at second and go-ahead run at first, the Cougars called upon Bartels, as the sophomore righty needed just four pitches to get a pair of fly outs in securing his second save of the season.
Starting pitcher David Stuart (4-3) earned the victory working 6 1/3 innings scattering five hits, three runs, walking two and striking out six.
Game 2 Recap
Barton saw an early 1-0 lead after the second inning turn into a 3-1 deficit after three innings.
In the fourth, back-to-back one out doubles by Robertson and Blachowicz trimmed the Cougars deficit to 3-2 after four.
An Owen Bailey single to open the fifth extending his hitting streak to 12-straight games setup the momentum-changing play as Riley Silva raced out an infield bunt single at first followed by a Sanchez walk. A bases-loaded walk to Howse fashioned the tying run with Robertson putting Barton in-front just four pitches later uncorking a no-doubt grand slam to right field for his third home run of the season and first collegiate grand slam making it 7-3.
After recording the first two outs in the top of the sixth, reliever Tyrus Riley worked into trouble as a walk, single and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with an ensuing walk plating a run. With the T-Birds having the tying run at first, Kade Walker entered to get a one pitch infield pop up to escape trouble with Cloud County leaving them loaded. Walker worked 1 1/3 innings with one hit allowed.
Starter Owen Reynolds (8-0) earned the victory surrendered three runs (two earned) on five hits, walking two and striking out four. Hunter Jones pitched the final two innings fanning three T-Birds and allowing two hits to record his third save of the season.