The Barton Community College softball team captured an 11-10 extra inning thriller Sunday afternoon over Dodge City Community College before suffering its first Cougar Field defeat in a 17-3 hammering by the Conquistadors to split the twin bill.
The result drops Barton to second place of the Jayhawk East at 10-2 and 16-9 on the season with the West's third place Conquistadors moving to 6-8 and 12-10 overall.
Barton will wrap up its four-date home stand on Wednesday with a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader hosting Independence Community College before hitting the road for its next three matchups.
Game One Recap
The Cougars appeared heading towards a game one blow-out, scoring a trio of runs in each of the first two innings in building a 6-1 lead, needing a one-out bottom of the eight single by Betsy Parmley to pull out the opening victory.
Brooke McCollough put the Cougars out to a 3-0 first frame lead as Nasadiya Salazar and Hailey Pop drew walks before the freshman launched her sixth home run of the season.
The Conquistadors got one run back in the top of the second as Gianna Browdy would be the first of three Dodge City players to hit their first collegiate home run during the day, belting a full-count two-out fence clearing cutting the deficit to two.
Barton's lower line-up set the stage for a three-run answer in the home half, with Jayden Solberg's leadoff walk being followed by perfectly placed consecutive bunt singles by Jade Phillips and Alexis Sharples. Jaelyn Carter drove two home on a single with Pop driving in the first of her three RBIs in the game to push the advantage out to 6-1.
Dodge City put together a three run third with an RBI double followed by Lexy Perez' two-run home run cutting the Barton advantage to two.
The Cougar bats went essentially silent for the next three frames allowing Dodge City to stay within reach head to the sixth.
Dodge City got the big hit it needed with nine-hole hitter Ericka Calderon lacing a double driving in the tying runs to chase Tia Kohl from the game. Greeting reliever Karsyn Smith with a double, Jessica Espinoza provided the go-ahead run before crossing the plate on the next at-bat courtesy of the Cougars' fourth error of the game.
Down to their final four outs, Salazar kept the sixth inning alive in just missing a home run by doubling off the left center fence with Pop following in drilling a 2-2 pitch out to left field for her fourth dinger of the season.
A leadoff hit by pitch put Dodge City back in front in the seventh as a 1-2 pitch two-out single gave the Conquistadors a 9-8 lead.
McCollough worked a leadoff walk to get the home half started but consecutive ground outs left just one out remaining for which is all Phillips' needed by lining her sixth double of the season in driving in the tying run.
Headed to extra innings, Dodge City would plate a run for the third straight inning as Perez connected on her second long ball of the game putting the Conquistadors back out front again.
Following Carter's ground out leaving just two outs for another Barton comeback, the Cougars wouldn't record another as Salazar drew a full-count walk with Pop delivering her third hit getting the pair in scoring position from a double to left center. Coming up empty on her previous four trips to the plate, Parmley picked the most opportune time for her first hit, sending a screamer up the middle as Pop's slide to the plate outraced the ensuing outfield throw for the game winner.
Game Two Recap
Barton took the lead three batters into the second game as Carter's leadoff triple past a sliding Dodge City right fielder would score an out later on Pop's fourth RBI of the day.
The Conquistadors pushed across a run in the second getting a four more on Perez' third long ball of the day in clearing the bases on a grand slam.
Barton was able to answer back with two in the home half, a Salazar RBI single and another crossing the plate as Pop towering shot to left field was misplayed.
Two additional Dodge City runs crossed in the third on a two RBI double with Courtney Huff pushing the Conquistadors' total to double digits with her first collegiate home run driving in three more in the fourth.
Dodge City locked up the game in the sixth, stringing seven consecutive hits together including the third Conquistador to clear the fence for the first time as Espinoza's grand slam put the final touches on the blowout.
Outhit 11-9 in the opener, the Conquistadors' sixth inning outburst tallied a 15-8 hitting advantage as numerous solid defensive plays robbed Barton of multiple hits throughout the game.
Going 1.1 in getting the game one loss, Espinoza bounced back with six solid innings improving to 3-3 on the year.
Karsyn Smith improved to 5-3 working the final 2.2 innings of the opener with Emma Horsch falling to 4-3 taking the nightcap defeat.
Pop accounted for five of Barton's nineteen hits and four of the thirteen runs batted in to lead the Barton offense.