The Barton Community College softball team battled back in the nightcap but came up just short Thursday afternoon, as Butler Community College used a one-out walk-off solo home run to secure a 6-5 victory and complete the Jayhawk Conference doubleheader sweep at Doug Chance Field.
The Cougars fall to 14-10 in conference play and 22-20 overall, while Butler improves to 14-6 in the Jayhawk and 20-14 on the season. Barton returns home Saturday to host Seward County for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.
Barton was held to eight hits across the doubleheader, including just two in the opener, but remained competitive by drawing eight walks and taking advantage of Butler’s three errors in the nightcap. The Cougars plated runs in five different innings on the day, highlighted by a three-run sixth inning in game two to pull even.
Karter Alvord led the offense with two hits and the lone extra-base hit of the day, a two-run home run accounting for two of Barton’s three RBIs, while Peyton McCormick also collected two hits in reaching base three times.
Butler outhit Barton 20-8 on the day, including 11 hits in the opener, scoring half of its doubleheader runs in the third inning while securing the sweep on a walk-off home run.
Game One – Butler 8, Barton 2
Limited to just two hits, Alvord provided the spark with a two-out home run to center for her eighth of the season, plating Shaylee Spears‘ walk to tie the game at two.
Butler had previously taken advantage of a hit-by-pitch with a two-out RBI single in the first before adding another in the second on a sacrifice fly. The Grizzlies answered immediately in the home half of the third, loading the bases on a pair of hits and a walk before pushing across two runs on a sacrifice fly and passed ball.
The Grizzlies tacked on another run in the fourth on consecutive doubles before pulling away with a three-run sixth inning, capitalizing on a pair of leadoff walks followed by two singles.
McCormick took the loss, dropping to 4-10 on the year, allowing five runs (four earned) over 3.1 innings, with Charley Wheeler covering the final 2.2 innings in relief. Addison Chapman earned the victory, improving to 5-3, silencing the Barton bats over six innings while working around three walks with four strikeouts.
Game Two – Butler 6, Barton 5
The nightcap delivered the day’s drama, with Barton rallying from a four-run deficit before Butler’s one swing in the seventh sealed the sweep.
Barton struck first in the second inning, manufacturing a run behind Laney Wood‘s RBI groundout to score McCormick following her leadoff hit.
One inning later, Butler responded with a decisive five-run third inning, four of the runs unearned, to seize control. The frame began with a leadoff hit followed by the first of two Cougar errors, with a two-RBI double and subsequent miscue helping extend the inning. Another RBI single followed, chasing Ellie Crawford from the circle, with an additional run scoring on a fielder’s choice.
Butler returned the favor in the fourth, as McCormick scored on a misplayed ball off Wood’s bat, before another defensive miscue in the sixth allowed Barton to plate three runs and tie the game.
The rally was set up by Addison Crockett‘s leadoff hit and two-out walks drawn by Spears and Grace Hembree. Alvord, the Cougars’ leading hitter on the season, nearly delivered the go-ahead blow, driving a deep fly to right field that was misplayed, allowing all three runs to score.
Wheeler retired the Grizzlies in order in the sixth, but Barton was unable to generate in the seventh. After recording the first out of the home half, Wheeler fell behind in the count before Addison Chapman launched a solo home run over the right field fence for the walk-off victory.
The loss drops Wheeler to 8-7 on the season despite allowing just two runs (one earned) over 4.1 innings. Chapman earned the victory, improving to 7-3 with a scoreless inning of relief. Crawford was charged with four runs (one earned) in the start, striking out two over two innings.
