Barton Baseball leaves Dodge City with doubleheader split #GoBarton

The Barton Community College baseball team got out of Dodge City with a doubleheader split Friday afternoon dropping the opener 6-5 before capping the afternoon with a 3-2 victory over Dodge City Community College.

In the opener both teams produced offense fast and often as the two teams combined for nine runs over the opening three frames, but the Conquistadors had the final say taking advantage of four Barton miscues including the final error resulting in a walk off victory.

Pounding out just four hits in the nightcap, Barton operated the long ball when it needed to as back-to-back leadoff inning home runs were enough as the Cougar pitching locked down late securing the doubleheader split.

Barton moves to 4-2 in conference play and 12-7 on the season while Dodge City suffers its' first conference loss standing at 5-1 and 14-7 on the season. The teams will conclude the four-game set Saturday as the series shifts to Lawson-Biggs Field for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader.

Game 1 Recap
The opening inning had four runs cross the plate, Barton accounting for the opening run and lone lead on Connor Allen's RBI single to center scoring Alex Rodgers leadoff single.

Dodge City answered back in the home half as three straight singles plated the tying run with back-to-back walks fashioned the go-ahead tally before Carson Wright's RBI single capped the opening frame scoring.

The offensive firepower carried over in the second with Dryden Howse and Chandler Miller stringing together back-to-back doubles trimming the deficit to one. Ethan Haufler knotted the game a batter later with an RBI groundout.

A one-out triple by Weston Symes had the Conquistadors back in business as Justin Dunlap produced the lead back to Dodge City.

A Conquistador error facilitated a Howse RBI sacrifice fly to center but one of four Barton miscues in the home half supplied the lead back to Dodge City.

Down to their final six outs, a leadoff Howse walk, ensued by a Miller single and Haufler sacrifice fly generated the final tie in the sixth.

Unable to generate the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh, the Conquistadors took advantage in the home half stringing three straight singles to load the bases. A fielder's choice gunning down the game winning run at the plate offered hope for the Cougars, but an ensuing error fashioned the game winning run for Dodge City.

Starter Zach Thornton saw his 16-inning scoreless stretch come to an end allowing five runs, four earned over four innings of work scattering seven hits, walking three and striking out five while earning a no-decision.

David Stuart fell to 1-2 on the year tossing 2.1 innings in relief allowing one run unearned, on three hits, one walk and striking out three.

Miller produced the lone multi-hit performance tallying three of the six Cougar hits collecting a double and driving in one.

Howse, Allen and Rodgers accounted for the other lone Cougar hits. 

Game 2 Recap
Unable to manufacture a baserunner through the opening three innings, a Rodgers hit-by-pitch to open the fourth jumpstarted the Cougars as reigning conference player of the week Ricardo Sanchez operated the opening run of the game with an RBI double to right.

The lead would be short lived as a leadoff walk to Dodge City's Trent Trammell setup a one-out go-ahead 2-run home run by Cale Blasi.

Barton strung together three of its' games four hits in the fifth and sixth frames as two of them came on leadoff solo home runs. Howse launched his first collegiate home run with a blast to right to open the fifth with Sanchez teeing off for his fifth of the season mounting the ultimate game winning run.

Starting pitcher Tegan Cain sat the tone working four innings striking out eight allowing two runs on three hits and walking one.

Tyrus Riley earned his second victory of the season improving to 2-1 on the year tossing 3.1 scoreless innings in relief allowing two hits, walking three and punching out three.

Bryan Bartels worked 0.2 innings needing just three pitches while Carson Cornelius notched his second save of the season working a perfect ninth inning fanning a pair.

Sanchez accounted for two of the four hits with a home run and double and driving in a pair.