Dramatic comeback gets Barton softball to Region final three

Down to their final out, the Barton Community College softball team refused to close out their 2014 season scoring two runs in the seventh to defeat Garden City Community College 9-8 Sunday at Wichita State University's Wilkens Stadium and stay alive in the Region VI Tournament.  The victory advances the 20-23 Lady Cougars in the final three of Region VI and an elimination game away from the championship game while ending the season of the Broncbusters at 22-33.  With a short rest, Barton will take the field against Seward County Community College for the right to take on No. 7 Butler Community College for the crown.  Seward, 46-11 on the season, dropped to the elimination game falling to the Grizzlies 8-3 earlier Sunday.

Garden City got up on the Lady Cougars early scoring two runs with two outs in the top of the first inning, keyed by the two-out double by Mattie Miller and a Barton error.  The Lady Cougars struck back in the home half with five straight singles with Emilia Davies, Allison Smith, and Ashlyn Osborne each getting RBIs.

Again the Broncbusters would put two on the board with two outs with three straight singles before Danielle Aronoff's single up the middle drove in two regaining the lead. 

After going down in order in the bottom of the second and two outs in the third, Smith tied it up for Barton hitting her third homerun of the tournament and seventh of the season with a blast off the Shocker Softball scoreboard in left field.  

Garden City regained the lead in the top of the fourth getting a leadoff single by Brooke Lovas then coming around to score on Aronoff's single to center.  The Lady Cougars came through in the home half tying the contest as Bailey Hensley kept things going with a single up the middle then scored on Candace Bollig's double to left center to tie it up.

Holding Garden City to its first three-and-out of the game, Barton seized temporary momentum of the game in the fifth.  Davies led off the inning with a centerfield single while Smith reached on the first of two Broncbusters in the inning.  But Garden's Rachel Roe induced a taylor-made double-play and appeared to be out of the inning.  In stepped Erika Harper who took over the team lead in homeruns in delivering her second long ball of the tournament with a two run shot to left center giving Barton a two run lead.

The Broncbusters wouldn't go away the sixth getting two one-out singles then a two-out walk and singles by Lauren Shanks and Emilie Laliberte to score three in storming back for a one run lead.

Barton went down in order in the bottom of the sixth and sent the Broncbusters down in order to set up the dramatic final half inning.

Following a Smith fly out to deep centerfield, Texan sophomore Osborne tied it up with her sixth homerun of the season driving a pitch just over the wall in left center.  Ericka Harper then kept the momentum rolling with a double just inside the third base chalk line.  Following a Britney Meyer ground out and with the Lady Cougars down to their final out, Great Bend freshman Stephanie Morrison kept the inning alive beating out a high chopper misplayed by the Garden City shortstop Laliberte.  With the Lady Cougars needed one more big hit to advance to the final three for the second straight season, Osborne's roommate and fellow Texan laced a shot to left for her second Region VI game winning hit to give Barton the 9-8 victory.

Osborne pitched all seven innings improving to 13-13 on the season while Roe took the loss dropping to 7-9.

Bollig's 3-4 effort led a fifteen hit performance as five other Lady Cougars had multi-hits.  Smith, Osborne, and Harper each drove in two runs.