Barton Softball splits doubleheader at nationally ranked Cowley

The Barton Community College softball team split a doubleheader Tuesday in Arkansas City, dropping the first game in five innings 12-4 to Division II No. 10 ranked Cowley College before taking the nightcap over the Tigers 7-4.  The non-conference results moves Barton's record to 16-5 on the season while Cowley stands at 11-10.  The Cougars will stay in non-conference play with a Thursday doubleheader against the junior varsity squad of Kansas Wesleyan University.  First pitch slated for 2:00 p.m. at Cougar Field.

In game one the teams traded runs taking advantage of each's errors with the Cougars getting a Jayden Gonzales two-out groundout RBI and the Tigers getting a one-out sacrifice fly.

Cowley broke the game open with eleven runs in the next two innings, getting three in the second with the aid of two more Barton errors before tacking on eight more from an eight-hit and two walk inning. 

The Cougars made an attempt to extend the game in the fifth scoring three, getting a Maddison Schofield leadoff single and Payton Summers' second hit of the game driving in the final run.

Payton Reynolds took the loss in her 2.1 innings dropping to 8-4 on the season while Logan Wenzel improved to 4-3 for the Tigers.

Game two remained scoreless into the fourth as three consecutive one-out singles and a two out single gave Cowley a two run advantage.  Following Mickenzie Toler's one-out single in the Cougars' top of the fifth inning, the defense fell apart behind the Tigers' Kacia Hilty.  Getting the aid of two errors, Barton would get two more added to the base paths before Andreana Reynolds' double to center tied things up and one batter later, Gonzales gave the Cougars a two-run lead with a single.  Hilty and the Tigers escaped further damage rolling up a double play to end the inning. 

Winner pitcher Amanda Evans kept Cowley silent in the home half on a 1-2-3 inning keeping the momentum in the visitors' dugout.  Summers began the inning with a hit and following a P. Reynolds walk, Kaci Isaacson tripled to left for the Salina freshman's first collegiate three-bagger.  Toler grounded out next in the lineup driving in Isaacson capping the three-run inning.

Helped by a Barton error to begin the seventh, a one-out walk would also score as Heidi Nitsch's double to left drove them both across the plate.  Evans closed the door on the Tiger rally getting the final two at-bats on fly outs.

Evans improved to 3-1 on the season scattering eight hits in the complete game while Hilty dropped to 2-3.

Summers and Gonzales led the Cougars going 3-of-7 in the doubleheader with Gonzales, Isaacson, & A. Reynolds drove in two runs each.