The Barton Community College softball team combined timely power and composure Thursday afternoon at Cougar Field, holding off a late surge in a 10-8 opener before riding a steady, complete effort in a 4-0 nightcap victory over Pratt Community College.
The sweep lifts the Cougars to 14-6 in Jayhawk Conference play and 22-16 overall, while Pratt falls to 3-15 in the league and 6-28 on the season. Barton returns to action Saturday traveling to Hutchinson for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch doubleheader.
A four-home run barrage highlighted the opener, while Ellie Crawford‘s command in the circle and timely hitting secured the day’s sweep.
Nine of Barton’s 14 runs came via the long ball despite the Beavers outhitting the Cougars by one across the doubleheader. Carly Erpelding‘s three-run blast highlighted a four-run second inning in game one, while Morgan Thatcher and Addison Crockett delivered back-to-back home runs in the fifth and Karter Alvord provided the game-winning solo shot in the sixth.
Crockett, who connected on her first collegiate home run in the opener, added a two-out solo shot in the fourth inning of game two. Alvord followed in the ensuing fifth with a leadoff blast for her second home run of the day and seventh of the season.
Thatcher led the Cougars at the plate going 4-of-5 with three RBI, while Alvord, the reigning Week 10 Player of the Week, went 3-of-5 behind the pair of home runs. Peyton McCormick added four singles across seven at-bats, with Crockett finishing 3-of-6 on the day.
In the circle, Trista Rogers secured the game one victory in 1.2 innings of relief to improve to 2-1, while Crawford tossed a complete game five-hit shutout in the nightcap, striking out six to improve to 8-1 on the season.
Game One – Barton 10, Pratt 8
Barton delivered at key moments in a back-and-forth opener, launching four home runs and answering Pratt’s biggest push late to secure the victory.
After taking an early lead aided by a Pratt error, the Cougars responded to Pratt’s two-run second inning by erupting for four runs in the home half. Barton loaded the bases on one-out hits from Thatcher and Crockett followed by a walk to Kahli Fields. Shaylee Spears‘ sacrifice fly tied the contest before Erpelding’s three-run blast, her team-leading 10th of the season, put Barton on top 5-2.
Pratt clawed back with two runs in the fifth on Gianna Renzi’s two-run home run. Barton answered in the home half with three runs on consecutive home runs, as Thatcher delivered a two-run shot and Crockett followed with her first collegiate home run to push the margin back to three.
The Beavers erased the deficit with a four-run sixth inning, the first on a Kennadie Arevalo RBI groundout but fueled by two home runs, Blair Shipman’s two run blast for her first collegiate followed an out later by Dallas Rutter’s solo home run for her second of the season tying the contest at 8-8.
Barton again responded immediately.
Alvord led off the bottom of the sixth by sending the first pitch over the fence in left center for the game-winning run. Hailey Horton followed with a one-out single, with pinch runner Arabell Razzano swiping second for her first collegiate stolen base before scoring on a wild pitch to provide insurance.
McCormick and Thatcher paced the offense with three hits each, while Erpelding drove in three runs and Thatcher added two RBI.
In the circle, Trista Rogers earned the win in relief of Charley Wheeler, improving to 2-1 on the season, working the final 1.2 innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out two.
Game Two – Barton 4, Pratt 0
Barton traded the fireworks for a steady drumbeat in the nightcap, scoring in four consecutive innings while Crawford handled the rest.
The Cougars broke through in the second inning on Camryn Carlson‘s RBI single, then added single runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to gradually build separation.
Thatcher delivered an RBI single in the third, Crockett belted a solo home run in the fourth, and Alvord capped the scoring with her seventh home run of the season in the fifth.
Crawford took care of everything else, improving to 8-1 on the year while scattering five hits across seven shutout innings. She worked around four walks and struck out six, escaping threats including bases-loaded situations in both the first and fourth innings to keep the Beavers off the board.
Barton finished with five hits and drew five walks, maximizing opportunities while backing Crawford with a clean defensive effort including a pair of diving catches by McCormick in right field.
