Barton finishes 2-3 at Colby Tournament

Barton finishes 2-3 at Colby Tournament
The Barton County Community College softball team started the Colby Tournament off on a good note this weekend but could only get one more win in the event to finish with a 2-3 mark. Barton won its opener in the tournament then dropped the next two on Saturday. Barton also started Sunday with win, but lost its finale to finish the tournament with a 2-3 record and a 21-26 mark overall this season. Barton, due to inclement weather this spring, still has 5 doubleheaders in the final 6 days of the regular season, starting Thursday at Garden City. Barton was to play Wednesday at home against Garden as well, but that game got pushed back to April 29 – the final regular season date teams can play.

Highlights
Barton had an easy opening game, rolling by North Platte (Neb) by a 13-4 run-rule score. Barton then dropped the next contest to Lamar (Colo) 6-4 and finished Saturday with an 11-3 loss to Jayhawk rival Dodge City. The Cougars coasted to a 14-0 run-rule of Brown Mackie Sunday but finished the tournament with a disappointing 14-13 loss to the same North Platte team Barton had run-ruled to start the tournament.

In the opener, Barton hit a pair of home runs as Alicia Salazar and Roxanne Longoria each belted bombs on the day. Salazar hit a 2-run shot in the 1st as Barton took a 3-0 lead on North Platte. Barton broke the game open in the 2nd with 6 more runs and a 9-3 lead. Longoria ht her home run – a 2-run shot – in the bottom of the 5th as Barton scored 4 times to end the game by run-rule on the homer.

Barton fell behind to Lamar 4-1 in the opening inning before working its way back to a 4-all tie. Brittany Allen doubled in 2 runs in the top of the 4th to even the game and give Barton new life. But single runs in the 5th and 6th gave Lamar the 6-4 win.

Barton lost the final game Saturday to Dodge City, a team Barton had beaten twice earlier this year – once by run-rule. Salazar and Cheryl Raesz each drove in runs in the opening inning as Barton took a 2-0 lead but Dodge scored 5 times in the 3rd – just 2 earned runs – on just 3 hits thanks to 3 Barton errors. After cutting the lead 5-3 with a Deanna Young RBI in the 4th, the Conquistadors scored 6 times in the 5th inning , this time collecting 3 hits and putting the game away with a bases loaded double scoring all three runners. Barton did not score in the bottom of the frame, giving Dodge the run-rule win.

Barton came back and hammered Brown Mackie to start Sunday, scoring 7 times in the opening inning on the way to the 14-0 win. Erin Humphrey hit the 1st of what would be 4 Barton homers a 2-run shot as the 2nd batter of the bottom of the 1st. Whitney Boeh and Megan Wedel each homered in the 2nd – Boeh's to lead off the inning and Wedel's a 2-run shot – as Barton built its lead to 11-0 after 2. Salazar capped the scoring with a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 4th for the 14-0 win. Christine Cervera threw all 5 innings to pick up the win for Barton, allowing just 2 hits.

The tournament ended in an error-fest with Barton (4) and North Platte (8) combining for 12 errors during the game. Barton scored 7 times in the top of the 1st – 6 unearned – as North Platte committed 4 of its 8 errors in that inning alone. Barton made it 8-0 in the 2nd on a Young single to score Boeh then kept its distance between North Platte with another run in the 5th – an Allen homer – to give Barton a 9-2 lead. But the bottom fell out in the bottom of the 5th as Barton committed 3 errors giving North Platte 6 unearned runs on its way to a 9-run outburst and an 11-9 lead. Barton bounced back with 4 in the top of the 6th for a 13-11 Barton lead. That didn't last long though, as North Platte plated 3 more in the bottom of the inning then held Barton scoreless in the 7th for the 14-13 win.

Barton will start its string of games Thursday at Garden City before hosting Seward on Friday. The Cougars will take Saturday off then travel to El Dorado to take on Butler Sunday. Barton finished with home doubleheaders Monday and Tuesday hosting Colby and Garden.

Stats
Stats can be found at www.bartonccc.edu/sports

Next 
Thurs April 24 – at Garden 3 pm (Region VI, Jayhawk West game at Garden City)