Cadie O'Donnell

• Article
• July 22, 2016

Five players from the Barton Community College softball team have signed letters of intent for the upcoming season at the next level. Head lining the selections is NJCAA All-American Madison Didion, bypassing her sophomore year as a Cougar to jump to the NCAA Division I level at Coppin State University. Joining Didion at the Division I level will also be Cadie O’Donnell who recently signed with Ball State University. Two members signed with Division II schools with Jenna Hosey headed to Northwestern Oklahoma State University while Holly Posegate joins the Bobcat program at Northwest Missouri State University. Lili Ertmann became the fifth Cougar to commit recently inking with NAIA member Avila University.

• Article
• May 09, 2016

The Barton Community College softball team was well represented on the recently released KJCCC Division I All-Conference Team with seven players garnering distinction, as well as, a sweep of the player and coaching awards. Voted by conference head coaches, headlining the selections were Head Coach Marc Benjamin as Co-Coach of the Year while Madison Didion grabbed not only the Freshman of the Year award but was voted the conference’s Most Valuable Player. Sophomores McKenna Mauler and Jenna Hosey joined Didion on the first team while sophomore Holly Posegate was joined by freshmen Jayden Gonzales, Brittany Wood, and Maddison Schofield on the second team. The selections helped lead Coach Benjamin’s third year of Lady Cougars to a runner-up finish in the Region VI Championship season as No. 9 Barton fell to No. 6 Butler Community College 11-10 finishing the 2015-16 campaign with a school record 51-8 record.

• Article
• May 05, 2016

The title defense of the Barton Community College softball team took a dramatic sixth inning turn as Butler Community College earned a 11-10 comeback win Thursday afternoon at El Dorado’s East Park for the Region VI Division I championship. Owning the lead for most of the contest, the No. 9 ranked Lady Cougars had victory within its grasp until a five-run Butler sixth inning seized the title from the defending region champions. The No. 6 ranked Grizzlies end the Lady Cougars’ season with a program’s best 51-8 record while Butler’s thirty-one game win streak extends the season vying for next week’s District E Championship with a 46-4 record.

• Article
• May 05, 2016

Returning to East Park focused on the mission of defending their title, the No. 9 ranked Barton Community College softball team took care of Dodge City Community College in six innings Thursday 9-1 in the Region VI elimination bracket final. Powered behind a third inning grand slam, Barton added three more in the following inning leading to the eight run victory launching the Lady Cougars back to the region title game for the second straight season.

• Article
• May 03, 2016

For the first time since 1993, the Barton Community College softball team entered the Region VI Division I Softball Tournament as the defending champion opening up play with a 7-0 victory over Garden City Community College. Returning to the site of last year’s championship, the No. 9 ranked Lady Cougars powered up for three home runs getting two of those in back-to-back fashion leading a four run fourth inning while getting a one-hit complete game pitching performance. Improving to 49-6 on the season while dropping Garden City to 8-39, Barton will next play the third-seeded Trojans of Colby Community College in Wednesday’s 1:00 p.m. game at El Dorado’s East Park. The 41-16 Trojans were equally impressive in their opener with a six inning 10-2 win over sixth seeded Pratt Community College. Garden City will look to rebound in the double-elimination format tournament taking on Pratt in the 9:00 a.m. elimination game. Complete video and live stat coverage of the Lady Cougars title defense run can be found at www.BartonSports.com.

• Article
• April 26, 2016

The Barton Community College softball team cured the hangover from Saturday’s potential conference title loss behind them Monday in Pratt taking care of the Pratt Community College Beavers in a doubleheader sweep. With one team coming off a disappointing loss while the other team was fighting for regional seeding, the No. 9 ranked Lady Cougars scored two in the first inning holding on for a 4-2 game one victory before finalizing the regular season with an 8-0 shutout in a game shortened five innings. Barton concludes the regular season 19-5 in conference play and a school record 48-6 on the season while dropping Pratt to 7-17 in the Jayhawk and 13-29-1 overall. Taking a No. 2 seed into the Region VI tournament, the Lady Cougars will begin their title defense on Friday at East Park in El Dorado in a 5:00 p.m. matchup against Garden City Community College.

• Article
• April 23, 2016

In a much anticipated matchup between top ten nationally ranked teams fighting for the conference title, the Barton Community College softball team’s bid for its first conference championship since 2004 came to an end Saturday in El Dorado as the No. 9 ranked Lady Cougars were swept by the No. 6 ranked Grizzlies of Butler Community College. In a resumption of its March 30 washed out doubleheader, Butler broke a 2-2 tie with two sixth inning doubles to win 3-2 then capitalized on six Barton errors in the nightcap put the touches on their sixth straight title winning 6-1. The pair of losses drops the Lady Cougars to 17-5 in conference play and 46-6 overall while Butler improves to 21-1 and 41-4 taking three of the four in the season series. Barton will conclude its regular season on Monday with a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader at Pratt Community College before turning its sights to the Region VI Tournament beginning Friday in El Dorado.

• Article
• April 15, 2016

There are a lot of solid aspects of the Barton Community College softball team and Friday in Colby, the Lady Cougar pitching staff moved to the spotlight in a doubleheader sweep at Colby Community College. Limiting the Trojan bats to just five hits in the twin bill, the No. 10 ranked Lady Cougars made the most of their eleven hits getting a first inning two run long ball in winning 2-0 to earn Head Coach Marc Benjamin his 100th victory at Barton before a manufactured two-run sixth inning led to a 3-0 triumph for the sweep. Maintaining its control of its own destiny in chasing a conference championship, Barton improves to 44-4 on the season solidifying their hold on second place at 15-3 while sending Colby to their fourth straight loss falling to 37-13 and a third place 15-7 in the Jayhawk. Barton will have two additional road games this week with 2:00 p.m. doubleheaders Monday at Garden City Community College and a Wednesday trip to Pratt Community College before concluding the regular season Saturday at No. 6 Butler Community College.

• Article
• April 09, 2016

The two game intensity level and consistency of the Barton Community College softball team continued to rear its ugly head Saturday as the No. 10 ranked Cougars came away with a disappointing split with Dodge City Community College. In taking game one behind the power of six home runs 14-6 in six innings, the Cougars went dormant in the back end of the twin bill despite launching a five run deficit rally in the final two innings falling 7-6. Concluding play at Cougar Field for the 2016 season with a 19-3 record, the split drops the Cougars to third place in the Jayhawk at 13-3 and 42-4 on the season while Dodge City helps solidify its fourth place standing in the conference at 7-11 and 15-19 overall.

• Article
• April 06, 2016

Unleashing an offensive assault to open Wednesday’s doubleheader at Seward County Community College, the No. 10 ranked Barton Community College softball team cooled off in game two needing a defensive gem to escape with the sweep. The Cougars chalked up six runs in their first at-bat then doubled up the effort with a twelve run second frame running away with a 21-10 five inning victory. Pounding out twenty-eight hits in the opener, Barton then went cold for the first three innings of the night cap before seven hits in the final four innings provided enough runs in holding off a late Saints rally for a 6-5 win. The pair of victories improves Barton to 12-2 in Jayhawk play and 41-3 on the season while snapping Seward County’s three game win streak dropping the Saints to 3-11 and 20-26. The Cougars will next play their final home game of the season coming this Saturday as Barton welcomes Dodge City Community College to Cougar Field for a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader.

• Article
• April 02, 2016

It definitely wasn’t the result the No. 6 ranked Barton Community College softball team set out to accomplish Saturday at Cougar Field against the Trojans of Colby Community College. Having its nineteen game win streak snapped with a 2-1 loss, the Cougars had to bounce back in the finale dispatching Colby in five short innings 8-0. The split drops Barton from a first place tie into second place at 10-2 and 39-3 on the season while the third place Trojans leave Great Bend at 11-3 in Jayhawk play and 29-9 overall. The Cougars next head to Liberal on Wednesday for a 2:00 p.m. twin bill at Seward County Community College.

• Article
• March 30, 2016

Rain sweeping through the El Dorado area forced the cancellation of Wednesday’s Barton Community College softball game at Butler Community College. In a much anticipated matchup between the top ten nationally ranked teams fighting for a conference title, the game was cancelled following a second rain delay coming in the fifth inning causing the East Park diamond unplayable. The No. 6 ranked Cougars rallied twice in the game tying up the No. 7 Grizzlies at two apiece before play was halted with Barton having the bases loaded with two outs. Make-up date yet to be determined.

• Article
• March 25, 2016

It’s been a magical start to the season for the No. 7 ranked Barton Community College softball team going into Friday’s 1:00 p.m. conference doubleheader hosting Pratt Community College. The defending Region VI Champions are 36-2 on the season with a 7-1 start to the conference season riding a seventeen game winning streak. Having five different players winning weekly conference awards given out by the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC), at the center of all the action has been freshman Madison Didion who for the fifth time has been named the Pitcher of the Week.

• Article
• March 25, 2016

The No. 7 ranked Barton Community College softball team won two styles of ballgames Friday at Cougar Field sweeping Pratt Community College. The Cougars grinded out the opener 4-2 behind a three run second inning before exploding for seven in the second inning of the nightcap going on to win 10-2 in six innings. The pair of victories extends Barton’s win streak to nineteen games improving to 9-1 in Jayhawk conference play and 38-2 while dropping Pratt to 3-7 and 9-17-1 on the season. The Cougars will have the Easter weekend away from competition then will turn its sights for a pivotal conference matchup Wednesday at No. 8 Butler Community College.

• Article
• March 23, 2016

Hours after learning of the program’s highest national ranking ever, the No. 7 ranked Barton Community College softball team went to work blowing out Garden City Community College Wednesday afternoon at Cougar Field. Taking both games in a shortened five innings, the Cougars put up a second inning eight-spot winning 11-0 then immediately buried the Busters in game two with six first inning runs scoring in each frame of its at-bats clinching the sweep with the 12-2 victory. Winners of seventeen straight, the Cougars improve to 7-1 in the Jayhawk and 36-2 on the season while keeping Garden City winless at 0-10 in conference dropping to 7-21 overall. Next up for Barton is Pratt Community College coming to Cougar Field for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader.

• Article
• March 22, 2016

Returning to Cougar Field after enjoying a few days for spring break, the Barton Community College softball team picked up where they left off taking a pair of games Monday over the junior varsity squad from Kansas Wesleyan University. The Cougars broke a fourth inning deadlock scoring seven runs while adding another in the fifth to clinch the 12-4 opener then powered its way in the nightcap behind two homeruns and a six run fifth to win 10-5. The victories extend the Cougars’ win streak to fourteen straight improving to 34-2 on the season while dropping KWU to 10-12. Barton will return to conference action with two more home dates this week playing Garden City Community College at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday followed by a 1:00 p.m. Friday matchup with Pratt Community College.

• Article
• March 15, 2016

A pair of big innings carried the Barton Community College softball team to a doubleheader sweep Tuesday at Cougar Field over Division II No. 18 Williston State College. The Cougars scored seven in the opening first inning cruising to 10-1 five inning victory before putting up a six spot in the fourth inning of the second game winning 10-2 in six innings. The victories extended the Cougars’ win streak to thirteen straight improving to 32-2 on the season headed into a much needed spring break. Williston State, in the midst of six-day, ten-game road stretch, drops to 2-10 in their early season. Barton will take just shy of a week off from competition before retaking the home turf Monday, March 21, in a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader against the junior varsity squad from Kansas Wesleyan University.

• Article
• March 14, 2016

Threes were wild for the Barton Community College softball team Monday as the Cougars earned another doubleheader sweep on the season taking two games at McPherson College. The Cougars scored three run in three different innings to capture a 10-2 six inning victory before adding two more three run outburst in the nightcap winning 7-1 securing their eleventh straight victory improving to 30-2 on the season. Barton will have a quick turnaround hosting Williston State College on Tuesday in a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Cougar Field before welcoming the spring break returning to the field on Monday, March 21.

• Article
• March 11, 2016

Pounding out twenty-six hits and getting a combined eighteen strikeouts from its pitching staff, the Barton Community College softball team dominated Friday afternoon’s conference matchup at Legends Park winning 5-0 and 14-1 at Dodge City Community College. The sweep improves Barton to 5-1 in conference play and 28-2 overall while dropping the Conquistadors to 2-4 and 10-10 on the season. The Cougars will take a break from conference action for its next six games, beginning with a 5:00 p.m. Monday doubleheader at McPherson College JV then hosting Williston State College on Tuesday for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Cougar Field.

• Article
• March 09, 2016

It was a mismatch on paper but in between the chalked lines Wednesday at Cougar Field it wasn’t pretty but the Barton Community College softball team survived against Seward County Community College to grab a pair of conference victories. A three-run third inning helped the Cougars to a 7-3 opening game victory but had to come from behind in the night cap behind another three-run third and a four-run fourth to pull way for an 11-6 win. The doubleheader sweep was the first Barton sweep over Seward County since 2002 improving the Cougars to 3-1 in conference play and 26-2 overall while the Saints drop to 0-4 in the Jayhawk and 7-17. Next up for Barton will be a trip to Dodge City Community College for a 2:00 p.m. conference doubleheader.

• Article
• March 07, 2016

Bouncing back from just their second loss of the season and having a seventeen game win streak snapped, the Barton Community College softball team started a new streak earning five victories this past weekend in Concordia at the Cloud County Spring Classic. The Cougars played three games of their five games on Saturday getting two wins against Iowa community college schools, a 5-3 victory over Iowa Western and a 10-2 five-inning victory over Iowa Central, before wrapping up the day with a 7-4 win over Division II No. 12 ranked Highland Community College. Opening up the final day against another Iowa school, Barton came out on top of Muscatine Community College before exploding with an eight run seventh inning to defeat host Cloud County 10-0. Now 24-2 on the season, Barton will return to conference play this week beginning with a 2:00 p.m. first pitch hosting Seward County Community College at Cougar Field before wrapping up the week Friday at Dodge City Community College.

• Article
• March 03, 2016

In what could be a preview of the Jayhawk Conference title race, the Barton Community College and No. 6 ranked Butler Community College softball teams opened conference play Thursday with a doubleheader split at Cougar Field. The Cougars scored single runs in four straight innings to knock off the Grizzlies 4-2 in game one but a six run fifth inning put away any hopes of a sweep with Butler’s 9-1 five inning victory. The loss snapped a seventeen game win streak for the Cougars and a modest two game streak over the Grizzlies as the teams parted the field with Barton at 19-2 on the season and Butler 16-4. Next up for Barton will be a trip to Concordia, Kansas, for a five game weekend tournament hosted by Cloud County Community College.

• Article
• February 28, 2016

The Barton Community College softball team displayed its explosiveness Sunday afternoon chalking up two fifth inning victories over Division II nationally receiving votes Cowley College. Barton lit up the Cougar Field scoreboard scoring seventeen runs in two innings coming from behind to win the opener 20-11 then put up a second inning six spot going on for an 11-1 victory to secure the sweep. Winners of fourteen straight, Barton improves to 16-1 while dropping Cowley to 3-12 on the season. The Cougars will have a twin bill at Sterling College on Tuesday before hosting No. 6 Butler Community College on Thursday.

• Article
• February 25, 2016

It only took the Barton Community College softball team the minimum innings Thursday to pick up a pair of victories at Cougar Field over Brown Mackie College. Racking up four runs in two of the four innings in the opener, the Cougars took a ten run lead to the fifth surrendering a lone run in the final frame to win 10-1 then racked up ten runs in the second inning to coast for an 11-0 nightcap victory. The twelfth straight win improves the Cougars to 14-1 on the season while dropping Brown Mackie to 1-5. Barton’s next game will come Sunday as the Cougars welcome Cowley College to Cougar Field for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader.

• Article
• February 23, 2016

The Barton Community College softball team won its tenth straight game picking up a pair of non-conference victories Tuesday in Lindsborg against the junior varsity squad from Bethany College. The Cougars put away the Swedes early in the opener cruising to an 11-0 five inning victory then took the night cap 5-1 behind a four run third inning. The second sweep of the season over Bethany improves Barton to 12-1 on the season with its next four games at Cougar Field beginning on Thursday against Brown Mackie College before Sunday’s twin bill against Cowley College. First pitch for each doubleheader set for 1:00 p.m.

• Article
• February 13, 2016

Historically a spring trip to Texas hasn’t fared well for the ladies in blue from Kansas but this past weekend’s journey to Midland might be the confidence builder the young Barton Community College softball team needs for an early springboard. The Cougars began Saturday’s action scoring six runs in the second inning on the way to a 14-5 win over Luna Community College then wrapped up the five-game two-day trip with its second shutout win over a ranked opponent disposing host and No. 15 ranked Midland College 7-0. Improving to 6-1 on the early season, Barton gave Luna its first loss of the season at 3-1 while dropping Midland to 11-3. Barton sets its eyes upon the state of Oklahoma next as the Cougars travel to Bacone College on Wednesday to take on the junior varsity squad before Thursday’s games against Oklahoma Wesleyan University JV. Game times for both day’s doubleheader scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

• Article
• February 12, 2016

It was a tough start to the day for the Barton Community College softball team Friday in Midland, Texas, but the Cougars bounced back from their first loss of the season to finish the first day of the Midland Tournament 2-1. After suffering a 9-0 defeat to No. 7 ranked Howard College, Barton came back with an 8-0 shutout of No. 10 Odessa College before disposing Clarendon College 4-1. The 4-1 Cougars will wrap up play in Texas on Saturday with two games, the first beginning at 9:00 a.m. versus Luna College before taking on host Midland College at 2:00 p.m.

• Article
• February 10, 2016

An unexpected power surge for the Barton Community College softball team led to the season opening doubleheader sweep over the junior varsity squad from Bethany College Wednesday afternoon at Cougar Field. Erasing a four run first inning in game one, Barton tied it up by the end of the second going on to win the opener 13-5 in six innings. In the nightcap Barton wasted little time putting away the Swedes with twin innings to begin the game of nine runs on the way to a 21-0 route. Fourteen Cougars combined to pound out thirty-one hits in ten innings of action including eighteen extra base hits with eight home runs, seven coming off freshmen bats as Brittany Wood clubbed five of those. Barton will get a much tougher this test this weekend as the Cougars head to Midland, Texas, for games Friday and Saturday in the Midland Tournament.