Coming off a big conference series last Friday night, the Barton Community College softball team returned to the diamond Monday taking care of a non-conference matchup hosting the junior varsity of Sterling College by playing the minimum innings in 19-0 and 10-2 victories.
Improving to 13-8 on the season, the Jayhawk East leading Cougars (7-1) return to conference play for a three-date homestand beginning with a 2:00 p.m. first pitch Wednesday versus Pratt Community College. The Cougars will then take on Dodge City Community College on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch before winding up the home stretch next Wednesday against Independence Community College.
Barton plated runs in every at-bat of the twin bill, busting open game one with an eight run second followed by a seven run fourth as a five run game two fourth inning put the impending dagger in the run-rule sweep.
Playing sixteen different players throughout the day in racking up twenty-seven hits, a pair of Cougars collected four hits in their time at the plate.
Betsy Parmley led the performances with three hits in the opener including an RBI double leading to a trio of two-out runs in the first inning before launching a bomb of two-run shot to left center in the eight-run second frame.
Emma Horsch also had a crushing shot beyond the fence, going 2-for-3 in the opener including drilling her first home run of the season in grand slam fashion to highlight the seven run fourth inning.
Breaking a 2-all tie in game two's third inning, Jayden Solberg delivered a two-out fence clearer putting Barton out front driving in her fourth RBI of the day.
Another big highlighted performance of the day came from reserve Demi Kunkel's 4-for-6 performance. Driving in Barton's sixth run of the fourth frame with a double, Kunkel collected three hits out of the two-hole for the nightcap beginning with her first collegiate home run on a shot down the left field line. Pounding out her fourth double of the season to plate two more runs in the five-run fourth, the freshman sent the teams home via the run rule with a walk-off solo shot with one out in the fifth to cap the four RBI and three hit performance.
Tia Kohl picked up the game one victory improving to 6-3 in striking out nine without a walk and surrendering just two hits. Karsyn Smith improved to 4-3 on the year in winning game two on two strikeouts and five hits with a lone earned run.
