Barton softball falls to Butler 9-1, forces Monday’s decisive Region 6 title game #GoBarton

Held to four hits or less in a game for just the fourth time this season, the third-seeded Barton Community College softball team fell in the opening championship game of the Region 6 Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Legends Park in Dodge City.

Top-seeded Butler held a 2-0 lead after two with the ultimate damage coming in the seven run fifth inning defeating Barton 9-1 in run rule fashion.

Suffering their first tournament loss in the double elimination format, the Cougars drop to 35-15 on the season while the Grizzlies improve to 43-7 overall and force Monday's 12:00 p.m. decisive Region 6 Championship game with the winner qualifying for the NJCAA National Tournament held May 19 – May 24 in Yuma, Arizona.

Stranding back-to-back Elina Bartlett and Karter Alvord two-out singles in the top half of the second, the Grizzlies broke through in the home frame as a pair of one-out singles came across on an RBI groundout and double ensuing.

Chloe Enslinger provided Barton its lone run in the fourth, as the sophomore distributed a one-out solo-shot for her 18th of the season cutting the deficit in half, 2-1 with Peyton McCormick's single following the last Cougar hit on the day.

Butler did their final damage in the bottom of the fifth as back-to-back walks and a single kick started the inning creating Kim Yepez grand slam. Following Barton's lone error of the game, the Grizzles strung together four straight singles leading to the final four tallies.

Meleiaa Ingram (19-6) suffered the loss for the Cougars. She worked into the fifth allowing five hits, six runs and four walks with two strikeouts.