Barton Softball knocks off No. 10 Odessa, goes 2-1 in day one of Midland Tournament

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.

Freshman Madison Didion took the center circle against the No. 7 Hawks in the opening game striking out eight surrendering four of the Howard nine runs in the final inning.  Maddison Schofield, Jayden Gonzales, and Jenna Hosey each had multi-hit games as the Cougars were outhit 12-7.

Turning the circle duties to Holly Posegate in the second game of the day, the sophomore from Colorado only allowed three hits and one walk while striking out five improving to 2-0 on the season.   Posegate would get all the runs she would need in the Cougars' first trip to the plate as the top of the lineup loaded the bases setting up Brittany Wood's two-run double to center.  The fifth inning would nearly be identical as the table setters of Cadie O'Donnell, Schofield, & Gonzales would again load the bases with Wood knocking in two more of her game high five runs with her second double of the game.

McKenna Mauler and Leah Fisher would come through at the end of the lineup in the home half of the sixth, scoring on a Schofield single and passed ball.  Schofield would later steal home and Wood would knock in the game clincher with a ground out to score pinch runner Kaylie Doll.
Pounding out twelve hits in the game prior, it took Barton until the fourth inning of its final game of the day to get the first of their five hits.  Meanwhile, Didion kept the Cougars in the ball game only surrendering a third inning run as Clarendon strung three two-out singles to take the one run lead.

Wood led off the fourth with a single being sacrificed to second by Hosey.  One out later Posegate's left field single scored Posegate to tie it up.  Following each team going down in order in the fifth and Didion stranding a leadoff single in the sixth, Wood drove an 0-2 pitch up the middle to give the Cougars a one-out base runner.   Giving way to pinch runner Lydia Konrade, Konrade stole second putting herself in scoring position for Payton Summers' game winning RBI to left center.  One batter later Posegate gave the Cougars some insurance runs driving a full count pitch over the left field fence for the first of the season and sixth career round tripper. 

Didion completed her seven inning six strike out victory sending the Bulldogs down in order improving to 2-1 on the season.