The Barton Community College softball team opened up its 2023 season Friday in Odessa, Texas, winning in five innings 11-2 over Otero Junior College to notch Carson DuBose' first head coaching victory before dropping a 10-4 contest to 3rd ranked Odessa College.
The Cougars will begin the final day of the Permian Basin Invitational at 9:00 a.m. against North Central Texas College before wrapping up the weekend with another tangle with Odessa beginning with an 11:00 a.m. approximate first pitch.
RECAP vs Otero Junior College
Barton put a solo run on the board in the home half of the inning but broke it open in its next trip to the dish plating five, highlighted by Halie Stoneking's second hit driving in two with the bases loaded.
The Cougars repeated the five-pack of runs in the bottom of the third, Lani Dryden providing three RBIs with Leslie Ramos and Jaysa Anderson also driving in one.
Kayla Beers racked up four of her five strikeouts through the first two innings before giving up a pair of runs in the fourth to go the distance for the victory.
RECAP vs Odessa
Barton got off to a good start against the 3rd ranked team in the country, Stoneking scoring on Jenna Henderson single and loading the bases threatening for more but couldn't deliver any more damage across the dish.
Jessica Morgan made the game two start in the circle, also getting off to a positive beginning until a two-out walk extended the inning resulting in a stolen base and two Barton errors on the play to tie the game up.
The Cougars recovered in the ensuing frame, Laci Dryden lacing a one-out double to score on Stoneking's second hit. Morgan did her job in the lower half, striking out three to match Beers' earlier achievement of four strikeouts through two innings.
After Barton stranded a Kayden Smith single and Mikaila Herring walk in the top half, the Cougars couldn't close the door in the home half.
Odessa's leadoff reached on an outfield error but the damage was erased later in the inning as second baseman Lani Dryden threw out the runner at the plate. One out away from escaping unscathed, a pair of two-out hits produced three runs to flip the advantage 4-2 to the home team.
The Wranglers tacked on two more in the fourth frame, a leadoff hit scoring on a one-out double who then crossed on a two-out infield error.
Following a scoreless fifth including Calli McConnell banging a leadoff double off the fence, Barton made it interesting in their next at-bat in the sixth.
The Dryden twins got things rolling by reaching base to begin the frame with Ramos following to load the bags. Down to their final out in looking to come up empty, McConnell drew Barton back to within striking distance delivering a two-run producing hit slicing the deficit to 6-4.
Unfortunately the momentum was short lived in the home half, a two-base outfield error led off the inning in scoring on the next batter as a sacrifice bunt resulted in an errant throw into right field. One batter later the second unearned scored on a hit up the middle with a one-out double driving in two more pushing the gap to its final 10-4 margin.