The seven-game win streak for the Barton Community College softball team came to an end Friday on the road as the Cougars dropped a pair of key conference games at Colby Community College.
Stymied on just three hits in the opener's 8-0 six inning loss, Barton tripled their output with nine hits in game two but it wasn't enough in falling 9-4.
The setbacks drop Barton to 17-5 in conference play and 24-15 overall while fourth place Colby creeps closer at 14-6 and 25-9 on the season.
Dropping two games behind the conference leaders, Barton has its chance at redemption with dates against both conference leaders and a rematch with Colby next on the schedule. On Wednesday the Cougars travel to 15th ranked and conference leader Hutchinson for a 3:00 p.m. twin bill, followed by next Saturday's 1:00 p.m. "Sophomore Day" hosting the rematch with Colby. Barton then travels to Butler on Wednesday, April 19, before closing out Cougar Field April 26 hosing Dodge City then wrapping up the regular season April 29 at Northwest Kansas Technical College.
Laci Dryden led the Cougars' output on the day with a 3-for-3 performance in game two with Sydni Williams driving home a run in going 2-for-4.
Jaysa Anderson had her school record 30-game hit streak come to an end in game one, just the third time in the season's first 38 games the sophomore has been held hitless.
Four pitchers saw circle duty, Jenna Henderson dropping to 5-9 as four errors plagued the Cougars' defense in the opener with four more miscues not helping the cause in the second game sending Kayla Beers to the loss dropping to 5-2 on the year.
Game One Recap
Colby plated two in their first at-bat with a leadoff double and single setting the table before a wild pitch allowed the first run to cross. A catch and throw to the plate from Anderson in right field to Leslie Ramos doubled up the Trojans but a two-out triple put the home team up 2-0.
The Trojans began their second time to the dish with a bunt single, and following a walk, Jessica Morgan took over the circle for Henderson in hopes of getting out of the jam. An infield error loaded the bases but Morgan battled back with consecutive strikeouts before a wild pitch leading to a throwing error allowed two more runs to cross building the deficit to five.
Barton looked to rally in the third frame, Ramos reaching on an infield single and was standing on third following Ireland Cotton's single up the middle but the hit went for naught on Cotton being ruled out of the batter's box, the first of two times Barton would be called on the infraction.
Into the fourth, Colby drew a leadoff walk followed by a single to begin the frame, tacking on another run with a one-out connection down the left field line.
Colby put the game away in the sixth with a leadoff hit and one-out double scoring on a single with the final nail coming on the Cougars' fourth error of the game.
Game Two Recap
Laci Dryden began her 3-for-3 day with a one-out double, stranded at third following Calli McConnell's 18th double in moving into the program's top ten single season achievements.
Colby scored in every inning of game two, scoring one in each of the first three innings, the first two coming on a two-out hit with the third inning solo run scoring on a one-out double.
Barton loaded the bases in the fourth, Williams' leadoff hit being joined by consecutive one-out plate plunkings on Henderson and Ramos' 14th and counting program record badge of honor. Lani Dryden's sacrifice fly plated the Cougars' first run of the day but Colby was able to induce a groundout to third in halting any further damage.
The Trojans also loaded the bases in their home half with one out, a pair of singles and walk chasing Beers with Williams taking over in the circle. Unlike the Cougars, Colby was able to tack on three to their lead behind a fielder's choice, taking advantage of an infield error, before driving in the third on a two-out single.
Colby threatened to halt the game in the fifth by loading up the bags again getting a one-out single and a two-out walk and error. A fielder's choice turning into a two-base error plated two with Anderson halting further demise on a sliding catch to end the inning.
Henderson's one-out home run crushed against the wind and the Cougars' celebration at the dish was short lived as a questionable "out of the box" call at the plate wiped the score off the board. Henderson would subsequently strike out but consecutive doubles by Ramos and Kayden Smith would muster Barton's second run of the day.
After Colby scored their fifth unearned run on a two-out Barton sixth inning throwing error, Barton put the final two runs on the board in their final at-bat. Laci Dryden's one-out single scored on Williams' two-out double who would score on Anderson's single.