As the temperature was cool and brisk Sunday at Cougar Field, so was the Barton Community College softball team in a slow start but the Cougars finished strong in taking a pair of non-conference games 5-2 and 11-3 in six innings over the junior varsity of Kansas Wesleyan University. The day's victories improved the Cougars to 7-9 on the season while dropping the Coyotes to 4-8. Barton returns to conference play on Wednesday as the 4-0 Cougars put their seven game win streak on the line in a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader at Colby Community College.
Committing two errors in the top half of the inning, the Cougars and Emma Horsch escaped damage in part to Morgan Michaelis gunning out the Coyotes' Kylie Ross attempted steal.
Horsch went on to not only limit the Coyote bats to just six hits and one walk in her seven innings of work, but struck out five batters. Improving to 3-5 on the season, Horsch' only blemish on the scoreboard came in the third innings of two unearned runs crossing the play behind the aid of two of Barton's five errors in the ball game.
The Sterling High School product also led the Cougars from the plate, delivering a bases loaded two out double before concluding the Barton batting frames with a two RBI single in finishing 2-of-3 with the five runs batted in.
Game two began similar to the opener with Ross reaching on a Barton infield error but the Coyotes were able to get the big hit as Sam Banda delivered a two-out RBI single. Hailey Pop answered for the Cougars in the home half launching the Canadian freshman's third long ball of the season.
Ellinwood freshman Allison Panning controlled the KWU threat in her six innings of work, scattering six hits and striking out five in allowing just a six inning earned run among the five three Coyote plate crossings.
Conference player of the week candidate Andreana Reynolds continued her torrid stretch in the middle of the lineup collecting four hits in her six doubleheader at-bats.
Game two shortstop insertion Maggie Schuetz made the most of her start, leading the twelve hit nightcap attack with three hits in driving in runs in the fourth and fifth before ending the contest on a two RBI single up the middle.
Also collecting three hits on the afternoon was Kristin Storer with two coming in the opener and the third plating her fourth RBI of the season as the Cougars broke open the game with five runs in the inning. Nasadiya Salazar also joined the three-hit club with two coming in the nightcap and also delivered a fourth inning RBI for her seventh of the season amidst a string of four consecutive Barton RBI singles.