Cougars upset in Region VI Tourney opener

Cougars upset in Region VI Tourney opener
The Barton County Community College baseball team was on a roll heading into the double elimination portion of the Region VI Championships in Wichita. With ace Ryan Phillips on the mound Thursday, things looked good for the Cougars to win their 14th game in 15 outings. Pratt, however, had different ideas. The Beavers, who upset KCK in the opening round series, did likewise to Barton to start off the double elimination event at Lawrence Dumont Stadium in Wichita. Pratt beat Barton 7-2, sending the Cougars into an elimation game against Cowley County, also an upset victim, Friday at 2 pm.

Highlights
Phillips had his roughest outing of the season and the Cougars committed 5 errors -- the 2nd most this season -- on a day nothing seemed to go right for Barton. In addition to the 5 errors, Barton hit into 3 double plays. Pratt jumped to an early lead in the contest, scoring 5 runs -- 2 earned -- off Phillips in 3 2/3 innings of work. That gave the Beavers a 5-1 lead and left Barton a hill to climb out of.

The Cougars were never able to get closer than those 4 runs as Barton fell to 37-19 with the loss. That pits the West's 2nd seed against the East's 1st seed in an elimination game -- a contest most felt would be a winner's bracket semifinal game. Garden City defeated Cowley by a 10-7 score in the final game Thursday night.

Stats
Stats can be found at the Barton County Website at www.bartonccc.edu/sports

Next
Fri., May 21 – v Cowley County, 2 pm (Region VI playoffs in Wichita)