Pitching dominates as Barton Softball sweeps Colby; Benjamin wins No. 100 at the helm

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.

The Cougars gave Madison Didion all the runs she would need in the first inning as the freshman hurler shut down the Trojans with a two-hitter improving to 23-2.   Reigning conference player of the week Maddison Schofield sent the second pitch of the game up the box for the leadoff single and one out later Jayden Gonzales smashed the first pitch she saw through the teeth of the howling wind for her thirteenth Jay-dinger of the season.

Getting only four hits in the opener, the Cougar bats continued the struggles in game two but were optimistic in their late opportunities.  With sophomore Holly Posegate controlling the circle, the Lady Cougars finally broke through for two in the sixth as Cadie O'Donnell set the stage getting the first of her two hits in the game with a one out single moving to second on her twenty-sixth stolen base of the year.  Following a Gonzales walk, Brittany Wood drove in her nation's sixth best seventy-fourth run batted in.  With a fielder's choice taking out pinch runner Kaylie Doll at the plate, Payton Summers delivered the big two-out blow with a single up the middle scoring Wood for the 2-0 lead.

McKenna Mauler's leadoff single became an insurance run leading off the seventh as two outs later, O'Donnell completed her 2-for-4 game with the RBI single. 

Posegate earned the victory improving to 20-2 going the distance scattering three hits while striking out three with no walks.