Bounce back performance earns Barton's Smith second consecutive conference pitcher of the week award; Cougars 3-1 over the weekend #GoBarton

For the second consecutive week, Karsyn Smith of the Barton Community College softball has been named the season's initial KJCCC Division I Baseball Pitcher of the Week.

Smith bounced back from a tough start to the Cougars' four-game set last week in Harrison, Arkansas, stringing together 11.1 innings of no runs allowed on nine strikeouts and just three walks.

The Cougars' suffered their first loss of the season on Friday versus Southwest Tennessee Community College, surrendering six first inning runs as Barton's comeback fell shy 11-6. Barton in Barton's 3-1 weekend. Removed in the first inning of the loss, Smith was back in the center circle for game two of the day striking out five and pitching a seven inning three-hitter helping Barton get back into the win column with a 4-0 defeat over Metropolitan Community College.

On Saturday Smith and Cougars shut out North Arkansas College, ending the game in the sixth inning by a 10-0 score. Throwing the first 4.1 innings, Smith struck out four in scattering four hits before turning the ball over for Cheyenne Henry's collegiate debut in striking out one without allowing a hit for the remaining 1.2 innings.

Barton got their revenge on Southwest Tennessee in the final game of weekend, producing three runs in the top of the seventh inning for the difference makers of the 7-4 victory. Lia Chan, who batted .692 in her four multi-hit games over the weekend, connected on her second triple in the two days sparking the inning, scoring on Brooke McCollough's fielder's choice with Bailey Stanley's RBI double driving in the final run.

Chan led the Cougars on the trip going 5-for-8 with the two triples, driving in nine runs including tying a career high four in delivering Barton's 4-0 win over Metropolitan.

Now 6-1 on the early season, Barton returns to the diamond with a weekend trip to Altus, Oklahoma, for a twinbill against 19th ranked Western Oklahoma State College and Navarro College. First pitch comes at 10:00 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday, taking on Western first then Navarro on the back end of the doubleheader each of the two days.

Barton's next home game is Monday, March 2, in hosting Region VI member Cowley College for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader.