Twenty-Four Strikeouts from Barton pitchers not enough to prevent sweep at Colby #GoBarton

Story by Alex Hammeke 

Barton pitchers Graham Brunner, Jake Kuntzendorf, and Zach Thornton sent twenty-four Colby batters packing on Thursday, but the Trojans got the final laugh at Young Memorial field, with Colby hitting six home runs on ten hits to propel the Trojans over Barton, defeating the Cougars in a walkoff, 4-2; and defeating Barton in the second game, 5-1.

With the sweep, the Cougars fell to 13-6, while Colby improved to 7-10. Barton will look to salvage a series split at home on Saturday, with first pitch from Lawson-Biggs field set for 1PM.

Game One Recap:
Barton and Colby would score quickly to start the series at Young Memorial Field. Colby would strike first, with a leadoff home run from Brayden Cust would give Colby the quick 1-0 lead. The Cougars would respond with retiring the next three batters out the side.

Barton would take the lead in the top of the second when a single from Shawn Marquis would score Jordan Ellison. Connor Allen would score two batters later on a fielders choice from Joel Nieves.

Both teams would have their bats go quiet for the next three innings. Graham Brunner would strike out 11 Trojan batters in his outing at the mound, for his season high. The Cougars would get Micah Grover, Connor Allen, and Caden Bressler on base via walk, but Barton would strand them on base.

Cust would use a 10-pitch plate appearance in the top of the seventh to tie the ball game on his second leadoff home run of the day. Barton could not respond in the top of the seventh, going down in order. Colby would defeat the Cougars in heartbreaker fashion off a two-run home run from Zach Olson in the bottom of the eighth.

Game Two Recap:
Much like the first game, Barton would have offense hard to come by, only able to score one run on two hits. Barton would have some life in the second after Carson Scott would make it all the way to third after being hit by pitch to lead off the second, but the Cougars would strand him 90 feet away.

Colby would keep the deep hitting going in the second game, as John Vulcano would drill a fly ball outside the park for the first home run of game two. Jake Kuntenzorf would keep Barton in the game defensively, striking out twelve Trojans in his new season high.

Colby would double their lead in the sixth with a leadoff home run from Tucker Zdunich. Barton would cut the lead in half the very next inning when Caden Bressler would score on a Shawn Marquis double, but Colby would respond with a two-run home run from Cust, his third of the day. Colby would add an insurance run on a ground out that scored Zdunich.

Barton would have one final glimmer of hope in the top of the ninth. Bressler would hit a single to right field, and Shawn Marquis would earn a free base to give the Cougars baserunners. Alex Rodgers would juice the bases after being hit by pitch, but Colby would slam the door shut on the opportunity with a game-closing strikeout.