Cougars come up short in high scoring doubleheader, split series with Pratt

A day after surrendering only eight runs in two games combined, the Barton Community College baseball team couldn't contain Pratt Community College on Friday losing a pair of high scoring contests. With another day of high south winds blowing out to left field at Lawson-Biggs Field, the Beavers used the final of their fourth long ball of the opener to take an 11-9 eighth inning victory before holding off the Cougars late for an 11-10 win in splitting the weekend four-game series.  The pair of losses drops Barton to 11-13 in the Jayhawk and 24-20 on the season while Pratt improves to 8-16 and 18-28 overall.  The Cougars will next play a Tuesday 5:30 p.m. non-conference game at Hesston College before traveling to Liberal for a weekend conference series at Seward County Community College. 

Pratt dug the Cougars an early eight run deficit behind a first inning two-run homerun capped by a two out grand slam in a six-run second inning.  

Beginning their comeback in the home half, the Cougars got one across as Ryan Schippers drove in Ryan McClure's leadoff double.   Barton created another opportunity the following inning loading the bases with no outs getting a Michael Sinks two-RBI single cutting the deficit to 8-3.

The Cougars countered Julio Ibarra's two-out solo shot in the top of the fourth with four runs in the home half getting solo shot home runs to lead off and close out the inning. Dayton Pomeroy led off the inning with his first of two home runs on the day while Drake Bliss found the grass on the other side of the fence for the second time in the season.   Sandwiched between the bombs were a Cole Henley sac fly and Taylor Langston scoring on a Pratt outfield error.

Another Pratt outfield error would also allow Corrigan Bartlett's leadoff single to eventually score the first of two fifth inning runs to tie the contest.  Schippers provided the equalizer driving in McClure with one out but the Cougars were unable to take its first lead stranding two in the inning.

With both teams going scoreless the next couple of innings, the game turned to extra innings with Pratt getting the lead aboard with Glen DesBoullions sending a full-count pitch to left field later advancing on a two-base error infield error.  Easton Mitchell knocked in the game winner with a left field sacrifice fly with Ibarra sending his second ball over the fence for the final dagger in the two-run win.

The Beavers continued the game one victory momentum into game two being fuelled by two Barton infield errors to open the game.  Loading the bases on a walk, an RBI groundout and double drove in the first of five runs as Anthony Romer sent the first pitch he saw from Cody Brewer over the left field wall.

Sinks kept the home half of the inning alive with a two-out single with Bartlett driving him home for the first of three consecutive one-run inning for the Cougars.

Not resting on their four run lead the Beavers went back to work in the second getting two runs before adding another in the third.

As Barton cut the lead to four on Henley scoring on a two-out error, Pratt went back to the long ball as Ibara blasted his third home run of the day leading off the sixth inning for his fourth of the weekend series.  A hit by pitch and double ensued with the Beavers adding two more runs coming on a wild pitch and an RBI single.

Trailing by seven runs and down to their final six outs, the Cougars refused to go down with a fight led by the leadoff single by Bartlett.  One out later Pomeroy blasted his second home run of the day for his seventh of the season and following a Schippers single, Mason Hightower connected on his second of the year suddenly drawing the Cougars to within one.   Barton would then load the bases getting a walk by Matthew Baca and Bliss on either side of Henley reaching on hit by pitch.  Sinks' RBI groundout drew the deficit to two with Bartlett reloading the bases on the second hit by pitch by relief pitcher Hayden Brauser.  McClure chased Brauser from the game with a four-pitch walk by Turner Middendorf closed the door ending the Cougar comeback one run short striking out Pomeroy to end the inning.

Avery Riedmiller gave the Cougars one last chance stranding two Beavers in the seventh but Barton was sent down in order completing the Pratt sweep.