The Barton Community College softball team opened up its 2022 season Friday going 1-1 in the Pioneer Classic.
Barton made short work of the host North Arkansas College Pioneers, scoring in all but one of the five innings for a 16-2 victory. Missing out on some late opportunities as the Barton bats went silent in game two versus Neosho County Community College, the Cougars saw a one-out ball sail over the fence in the home half of the seventh to drop a 3-1 walk-off loss.
Due to Pioneer field conditions, the game was held and shifted the Cougars' four-games of the weekend to Forsyth High School in Forsyth, Missouri.
The Cougars will tangle again against the same two teams on Saturday, taking on North Arkansas at 11:00 a.m. followed by Neosho County at approximately 1:00 p.m.
RECAP vs North Arkansas College
Barton had a trio of multiple run innings, pounding out 12 hits as starter Kayla Beers through four innings to earn the victory striking out six, walking just one, and surrendering all three hits in the Pioneers' two-run first inning. Elizabeth Horsch pitched the final inning, pitching around a leadoff single in striking out one.
Jaysa Anderson led the offense with a 3-for-4 and two RBI Cougar debut out of the leadoff spot with Sydni Williams going 2-for-3 including driving in Barton's first two runs with a double. Returners Halie Stoneking, Adreanna Lance and Lexi Dryden also contributed a pair of RBI's, Dryden driving in hers on a fourth inning double contributing to the Cougars' five-run frame.
The top three of the lineup set the stage helping produce a trio of runs in the first as Williams followed Anderson's leadoff hit and Cotton's walk with her first collegiate hit coming in two-bag style.
North Arkansas answered in the home half of the first as a leadoff single and double would score on a ground out and single.
Barton put together consecutive five run frames in the third and fourth inning. Four hits highlighted by Stoneking two-run single pushed the lead to 8-2 as the Cougars punished the Pioneers with another five pack of plate crossers on two outs in the fourth highlighted by Dryden's double and Anderson's third hit.
The Cougars tacked on another trio of runs in the fifth on two outs as well, Lance producing a bases loaded RBI and two additional runs coming across on Dryden's misplayed fly ball to the outfield.
RECAP vs Neosho County
Putting up 16 runs in their earlier game, the Cougar bats went silent and couldn't produce the big hits when needed to suffer its first loss.
After Barton tied the contest at one in the top of the seventh, the Panthers got the critical leadoff batter on board to begin the home half, delivering a one-out walk-off fence clearer to abruptly end the game.
It took each team three innings to get their first hit as the Cougars' Jessica Morgan and the Panthers' Olivia Cummings kept the bats in check.
Barton finished with four hits in the game scattered across four players as Neosho County finished with six hits, none larger than leadoff batter Espy Daniels' second hit of the game producing the winning big fly.
Morgan, who pitched the first five innings, relieved Williams in the seventh following the Panthers' leadoff single to take the loss in 5.2 innings pitched of striking out seven, walking one, and one earned run. Cummings kept the Barton bats in check on the four hits, striking out six, and walking two.
Dryden produced the lone Cougar run, delivering a clutch two-out RBI scoring Kayden Smith's leadoff single. Kennedee Lara followed Smith with a single as Barton had three of their four hits in the inning, the only other hit was Anderson breaking up the no-no leading off the fourth inning.