The Barton Community College softball team has been picked fourth according to league member coaches for the upcoming 2023 KJCCC Conference Division I season.
The Cougars return three All-Conference/Region VI selections amongst its eight sophomores, looking to move up from the prediction and exceed last season's fourth place 18-14 and 25-22 overall squad.
Leading the charge into the new season is first year Head Coach Carson DuBose, earning the role following two years as assistant coach under Tyler Gunelson who now is at the helm of NCAA Division II Rockhurst University.
DuBose, a former athlete at Rogers State University, began her coaching career at Division II Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where she served as a graduate assistant coach for two years prior to arriving to Barton.
A main offensive threat for the Cougars is the returning of first team selection outfielder Jaysa Anderson. The Andale, Kansas, native rose to the top of Barton's stats during her freshman campaign as the mainstay in the No. 4 spot of the lineup. Batting .407 overall, Anderson was an even better .416 in conference play. Despite missing three games due to injury late in the season, Anderson finished second on the squad with 55 hits, a .467 on-base percentage, and six stolen bases. Anderson also finished third on the team with 35 runs batted in and drawing 15 walks while defensively holding down right field on a .864 fielding percentage with just six errors.
Landing on the second team last season as designated player, Sydni Williams gave the Cougars value by either fielding various positions or time in the center circle. Third on the team with a .377 batting average, Williams also improved throughout her freshman campaign including in conference play to lead Barton with a league 8th best .442 average. The Wichita, Kansas, native also led the team's main lineup players with 25 walks helping compile a .467 on-base percentage, driving in a squad second best 48 runs on 9 home runs with a third most hits (52) and runs scored (41). In the lineup mostly as the designated player, Williams also spent time in the field at the hot corners and in the center circle making 17 appearances, recording a 2-2 record with a save in striking out 29 batters in 33.1 innings while walking just five.
Kayden Smith's honorable mention all-conference/region selection at 3rd base was the third Barton freshman to receive accolades, quickly moving up in the lineup during the season into the 1- or 2-hole position for most of the year. The native of Topeka, Kansas, batted .366 with a .418 on-base percentage on a team leading 59 hits with 11 doubles, a pair of triples, and 5 home runs.
Next to Smith on the diamond is shortstop Ireland Cotton in giving Barton a solid left side of the diamond. The Clearwater, Kansas, product batted .283 in the lineup and took on 120 chances at the middle diamond anchor position with just ten miscues and rolled up four double-plays.
Along with Williams, DuBose will also be counting on a pair of "super sophomores", Halie Stoneking and Kayla Beers as the duo returns for their third season due to Covid-19 exemptions.
Complimenting Smith at the top of the lineup, Stoneking helped set the offensive attack with a near .400 on-base percentage behind her .333 batting average including a team leading 16 doubles and 14 stolen bases resulting in 50 runs scored. A mainstay in left field the past two season, the Milliken, Colorado, joins Anderson in securing the outfield corners.
Barton returns both its starting pitchers, Beers being joined by Jessica Morgan with Williams and Julia Carey also spending time in the circle. Adding even more depth to the hurlers, the addition of Kansas products Jenna Henderson and KayLee Richardson will give DuBose a multitude of options.
Hailing from Terrell, Texas, Beers went 12-7 with 121 strikeouts her freshman campaign before last year's 10-11 campaign with 72 strikeouts including a career high 10 against conference foe Seward County.
Morgan, coming to Barton from Lewistown, Montana, struck out seven in her Cougar debut in going on to exceed that total eleven more times in finishing 12-7 on the year. Fanning ten or more five times, Morgan's 145 total strikeouts landing in the program's top ten all-time list included a record 16-strikeout performance preserving a 1-0 victory over Dodge City.
Conference predictions followed last year's final standings, defending conference and region champion Butler Community College begins the season ranked 7th and topping the conference poll with 17th ranked Hutchinson Community College and Colby Community College in the second and third slot respectively ahead of the Cougars.
Barton opens the season at 1:00 p.m. today in Odessa, Texas, against Otero Junior College followed immediately in taking on host 3rd ranked Odessa College. On Saturday the Cougars will play at 9:00 a.m. versus North Central Texas College and an 11:00am first pitch with another tangle against Odessa.
Barring weather conditions, Barton is set to open the home slate on Tuesday (Feb. 14) with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch doubleheader hosting Northern Oklahoma College-Enid.
The Cougars begin the conference slate with a February 25 trip to Garden City Community College, returning the following Wednesday (March 1) for the conference home opener against Seward County.