Cotton's game-two grand slam salvages doubleheader and series split with Coffeyville #GoBarton

Following a doubleheader split on Thursday afternoon, the Barton Community College baseball team would settle for a second straight twin bill split on Saturday afternoon at Coffeyville Community College. Dropping an opening 11-0 fifth inning loss, the Cougars rallied back behind Jaron Cotton's go-ahead sixth inning grand slam in earning a 7-4 game two victory at Walter Johnson Park.

Finishing their non-conference four game series with a four-game split, the Cougars sit at 32-16 on the season while the Red Ravens see their record move to 21-26 overall.

Concluding non-conference play, Barton will open their second to last four-game Jayhawk West series on Thursday against conference leader and 17th ranked Hutchinson Community College. First pitch of Thursday's doubleheader is slated for 1:00 p.m. from Lawson-Biggs Field with the series concluding next Saturday at Hobart-Detter Field. 

Game 1 Recap (L 11-0 (5))
Robby Bolin's leadoff single extending his hitting streak to 16-straight would be the first of three Barton hits produced in the opener. Owen Clyne's ensuing walk after Bolin caught stealing at second would be the first of four-left stranded.

Down 2-0 after an inning, back-to-back Owen Bailey, and Ayden Hadley singles with two-away in the second supplied the Cougars final hits.

Taking advantage of Barton's missed scoring opportunities in Thursday's series opener as well, Coffeyville capitalized in the bottom of the second with four straight defensive miscues igniting a six-run second digging the Cougars into a 9-0 hole and deficit unable to overcome.

Barton's final base runner came in the top of the third on Hunter Seier's two-out walk with the Cougars going down in order over the final two frames and Red Ravens tacking on three more runs over their final two at-bats.

Falling on the wrong side, starting pitcher Nathan Bowman (1-2) worked 1.1-innings, yielding eight runs with only two being earned on six hits and walking one.

Game 2 Recap (W 7-4)
Trailing 3-0 and stranding a pair over the opening three innings, Seier and Bailey back-to-back singles to open the top of the fourth created Barton's first run of the afternoon coming on Kyler Horsman's fielder's choice to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Stranding five through five innings, the Cougars loaded the bases with one-out following Horsman's single mixed between Grant Nottlemann and Barrett Donaldson walks. Faced with two-outs following a strikeout, Cotton distributed the timely hit launching his collegiate first grand slam and eighth home run of the season gifting Barton's it's first and lone lead needed on the afternoon.

Horsman's bases loaded RBI fielder's choice added an insurance run with the final Cougar run crossing on Nottlemann's one-out single scoring Seier's second single of the day making it 7-3.

Sending the tying run to the plate with no-outs following three-straight Red Raven walks in the ninth, Barton called upon Bradley Feezer. Making his first ever appearance out of the bullpen, Feezer closed the door in earning his first collegiate save. Needing just six pitches, the freshman limited Coffeyville to just a run on a sacrifice fly before drawing up a game ending double play in locking down the doubleheader split.

Ethan Minaker (4-1) notched his fourth victory of the season, as the freshman worked 5.0-innings scattering three hits, three runs with only one run earned, walking four and fanning two Red Ravens.

Jackson MacWilliams provided three shutout innings out of the bullpen allowing just one hit and one strikeout.