Barton splits with No. 13 Butler
The Barton Community College softball team splits games with No. 13 Butler Wednesday afternoon at Cougar Fields. As the weather is showing signs of February, the Cougars are playing like a team hitting stride in May, winners of 3 of their past 4. Barton nearly pulled off the sweep of the Grizzlies but saw a 3-0 lead late in the opener disappear in a 4-3 loss in 8 innings. Barton won the 2nd game 12-9 and is now 3-3 in the Jayhawk West after sweeping Colby Monday. Barton is 8-12 overall. Butler is now 19-6 overall and 3-1 in the West – which is also the Region VI this year with only the 5 NJCAA division teams – Barton, Butler, Seward, Garden, and Colby – a part of the West. Barton will tackle another of the top teams in the region when Seward comes to Cougar Fields Friday in a makeup doubleheader starting at 3 pm. Seward is 3-1 in the West and 22-11 overall.
Highlights
The Cougars looked as if they were going to pull off the upset in the opener as Jackie Fehr held Butler scoreless through the 1st 5 innings. Meanwhile Barton had built a 3-0 lead heading into the 6th with a 2-run homer by Savanna Rutkowski in the 1st and a solo shot by Brigette Hitschmann in the 4th. For Hitschmann it was her 4th homer of the year tying her for the team lead with Cheryl Raesz. Butler, though, strung together some hits in the 6th inning – most notably a 2-out, 2-run double followed by a single to tie the game. The Cougars held off Butler for another inning, but the Grizzlies scored in the 1st extra frame for a 4-3 win. Fehr allowed just 6 hits – 3 in the 6th - and walked one in the loss.
The close loss to the No. 13 Grizzlies didn't faze the Cougars, nor did a 3-run 1st by the Grizzlies to start the 2nd game. Barton responded with a 3-run 1st of its own as Raesz doubled in Rachel Olguin and Ashley Newberry. Rutkowski followed with a single to score Raesz and game was tied at 3-all. Butler again scored 3 times in the top of the 2nd and Barton again responded – this time with a pair of runs thanks to some sloppy defense by the Grizzlies and a pair of walks – included one with the bases loaded. The Cougars tied the game in the 3rd when Kortney Friess scored.
Barton fell behind by 3 runs for the 3rd time in the game after a 3-run 4th by the Grizzlies but like twice before, Barton immediately responded. The Cougars matched the 3 spot by Butler in the 4th with 3 of its own on back-to-back hits by Newberry and Newberry. Asia Newberry singled in Kayla Hoskins before twin sisters Ashley Newberry doubled home Asia and Friess to make it 9-all after 4 innings of play. That would be the end of the 2-team slugfest, however, as Barton's Sarah Permenter shut out Butler the final 3 innings and limited them to just 4 hits in the contest but struggled with 8 walks.
Barton wasn't done slugging the ball, though. Rutkowski hit her 4th homer of the season to tie her with Raesz and Hitschmann – her 2nd of the day – in the 5th for a 10-9 lead. Barton tacked on 2 more in the 6th when Raesz doubled in Ashley Newberry and later scored on a Rutkowski single for a 12-9 lead. Butler would go 1-2-3 in the 7th. Barton pounded out 15 hits in the win to just 4 for the Grizzlies. Ashley Newberry had 4 hits and Rutkowski 3 to pace Barton. Rutkowski and Raesz each drove in 3 and Raesz also scored 3 times.
Earlier in the week, Barton took 2 at Colby to get its 1st West wins of the seasons. Barton rolled to a 9-1 win the 1st game, collecting 10 hits in the win while Fehr held Colby to just 3 hits with no base on balls. The lone run scored by Colby was unearned. Ashley Newberry had 4 hits and scored twice in the win. Rutkowski drove in 3 and Hoskins had a pair of doubles for the Cougars.
The Cougars offensive was even more explosive in the 2nd game as Barton won 16-7 over the Trojans. Barton scored 9 times in the 2nd to take control including a 2-run homer by Hitschmann. Ashley Newberry added a 2-run shot in the 4th as well. Ashley Newberry had another 4-hit game and drove in 4 as well. Rutkowski and Megan Charlton scored 3 times in the win.
Stats
Stats can be found at www.bartonccc.edu/sports
Next
April 3 – v Seward 3 pm (Region VI doubleheader at Cougar Fields Great Bend)