Big innings muscle Cougars to doubleheader sweep over Kansas Wesleyan JV #GoBarton

The Barton Community College baseball team featured no lack of offense Monday afternoon from Lawson-Biggs Field as the Cougars manufactured 19 of its' 30 runs over three innings in sweeping the doubleheader 10-4 and 20-8 against the junior varsity squad of Kansas Wesleyan University.

Halting a two-game skid, the Cougars improve their overall record to 18-9 on the season, getting back to conference action on Thursday with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Garden City Community College. The teams will swap locations on Saturday to the Cougars' home turf in wrapping up the four-game series with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch twin bill.

Game 1 Recap
Logan Phillips faced his lone jam in the opening inning in making just his third start of the season, striking out the first two batters faced but a pair of two-out singles mixed around a walk produced the Coyotes' first and lone lead of the opener.

Barton answered the call in the home half of the first with Ricardo Sanchez reaching on a two bag fielding error setting up the first of three RBIs driven in by freshman Henry Hayman singling through the left side knotting it up at one-apiece.

Taking a bit to get the bats cooking, the Cougars struck for the next four runs with the eventual go-ahead run coming in the bottom of the third on a Dryden Howse single up the middle driving in Alex Rodgers' leadoff single.

The lead stretched to 4-1 in the next frame as a leadoff triple by Jordan Ellison and balk pushed across an insurance run with a second run coming on Tanner Schrag's first RBI of the season on a sacrifice fly to center scoring Jace Stewart's one-out double and advancement to third on the second balk of the inning.

Hayman's second knock came in the fifth in lacing his team leading third triple to open the frame, scoring on Howse's second RBI of the game on a groundout stretching the Barton advantage to 5-1.

Kansas Wesleyan fashioned a comeback attempt in the sixth with the Coyotes taking advantage of a leadoff single and one-out single before Nick Erikson lofted a ball into the south wind carrying over the left field fence for a three-run home run slicing the Cougar lead to 5-4.

Barton broke things open in the sixth adding a five spot behind four hits, a hit-batsman and pair of Coyote miscues. Already having one of the two hardest parts attempting the cycle completed, Hayman got the other hard part capping the scoring with a two-run shot to left center highlighting the inning on his first collegiate home run with Schrag, Rodgers and Sanchez all adding RBIs prior.

Hayman paced the Barton bats in the opener turning in his seventh multi-hit performance of the season falling a double shy of the cycle concluding the day 3-for-4.

Rodgers rounded out the multi-hit performances concluding his day 2-for-4 with a run batted in and scoring twice.

Phillips improved to 1-1 on the season working three innings allowing one run, scattering three hits, walking one and fanning six of the Cougars twelve total strikeouts.

Cade Kohlmeier added 2.1 innings of relief allowing three runs off five hits, issuing one walk and striking out four as Bryan Bartels worked the final 1.2-innings sending all five batters down including a pair back to the dugout on strikes.  

Game 2 Recap
Sluggish through the opening frame of the nightcap, the Barton bats pieced together a two-out rally in the home second with Joel Nieves turning the lineup over poking the first of his perfect three hit evening with a single through the left side. Swiping the first of his two stolen bases in the outing, Nieves crossed for the first run on Rodgers finding the gap in right center for an RBI double. Two pitches later, the two-time reigning KJCCC Player of the Week Ricardo Sanchez delivered a two-run blast to left for his team leading sixth round tripper of the season capping a three run frame.

Despite down 3-0, the Coyotes fought back in the third piecing together their biggest frame of the night producting eight runs behind seven hits, one walk, and Barton's lone miscue. Stringing together six singles including four producing runs, KWU JV got their biggest knock from Pastor Valdez as the third baseman launched a grand-slam to left giving the Coyotes an 8-3 lead.

Shawn Marquis started the Cougars second straight two-out rally with a double to left center before five straight walks accounted for three runs as Nieves, Rodgers and Sanchez drawing RBIs clawing Barton back to within 8-6.

Remaining on the wrong side of the scoreboard entering the fifth, Jackson Hartley opened the inning reaching on a hit-by-pitch with Ethan Haufler beating out a bunt single on the next pitch. Facing a 2-2 count with none away, Nieves put Barton in front for good launching a no-doubter to left center for his first collegiate big fly. The big inning continued for the Cougars with Colter Maldonado and Hartley ripping RBI doubles mixed in the middle of a two RBIs from Marquis' single through the right side for his second knock of the game helping cap the seven-run inning.

Nieves remained a Coyote nightmare at the plate to kickstart another crooked inning for Barton in the bottom of the sixth, laying down a bunt single capping the 3-for-3 day at the plate while swiping his second bag of the day on the next pitch. Rodgers made it a six run lead on the very next pitch with a single to center knocking in his third RBI of the contest and fourth of the day.

Following a pair of hit-by-pitches drawn by Sanchez and Maldonado to load them up, Howse and Ben Cordova making his first collegiate plate appearance generated RBI bases loaded walks with Maldonado scoring on a passed ball two pitches later making it 17-8. Needing just one run standing 90-feet away from a run rule victory, Hartley had other plans teeing off on a 1-1 pitch to left for his second dinger of the season in walking off the 20-8 result.

Bryson Schultz earned a no-decision making just his second start of the season going 2.1-innings allowing four runs, three earned, four hits, and walking and striking out one.

Ellison picked up the winning decision in relief improving to 2-1 on the campaign working three innings of no hits, walking one, and striking out a career high seven batters.

Nieves led four different hitters with multi-hit performances turning in a perfect 3-for-3 day reaching base four times. Rodgers added a 3-for-4 game at the plate driving in three and scoring three times. Marquis and Hartley rounded out the multi-hit outings each producing a pair of knocks in the victory with Hartley and Nieves sharing the team honors with a four RBI production.