The Barton Community College baseball team got one of the games they needed Tuesday in Pratt but couldn’t come up with a sweep as the Cougars dropped the four-game series with Pratt Community College 3-1. Losing both of Monday’s games, Barton rallied from three down in Tuesday’s first game scoring eight unanswered to win 10-5 but a six-run second inning doomed the Cougars in the nightcap falling 9-1. Sitting in sixth place at 14-14 in Jayhawk West play, the 24-23 Cougars are just a game back for third place while Pratt stands a game behind Barton in seventh at 13-15 and 20-27 on the season. Barton wraps up regular season play this weekend with regional playoff seeding implications as conference leader Seward County Community College (19-9, 30-19) comes to town for a four game series as the Saints are red hot following a four game sweep of former leader Butler Community College. First pitch for doubleheader play on Saturday and Sunday scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Lawson-Biggs Field with special events planned on Sunday. All games are free admission with a $5 cookout scheduled at noon Sunday in kicking off the final day of regular season with a special Bowman Family Press Box recognition ceremony taking place prior to first pitch.
Evan McDonald was red hot in the opener leading off the lineup with a 3-for-5 performance driving in four runs. The Cougars outhit the Beavers 13-8 with Lance White, Tyler Jennings, Dylan Kuhn, and Austin Hall each having multi-hit games.
Jackson Rose worked the final 2.1 innings striking out one while only giving up one hit to earn the win improving to 6-1 on the season.
Barton got seven hits in the nightcap but the Cougars couldn’t string them together as Jennings was the lone multi-hit game going 2-for-3 as the sophomore was 4-of-6 on the day driving in the lone game two run with a second inning sacrifice fly.
Cody Brewer took the loss dropping to 3-5 on the season surrendering six runs on six hits in his 1.1 innings of work. Ryan McClure took over and shut the Beavers down with only two hits and four strikeouts in 4.2 innings but Barton’s offense struggled throughout the game.
