Hersch’s no-hitter performance earns conference pitcher of the week award

Barton Community College baseball pitcher Justin Hersch has been named the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) Verizon Wireless Baseball Player of the Week.  Earning the honor over six other great pitching performances around the conference, the freshman from Fort Collins, Colorado, made the most of his return to his home state this past weekend by firing a no-hitter on Sunday to help the Cougars to a 10-0 victory over Western Nebraska Community College in La Junta, Colorado.  The left-handed hurler faced the minimum in getting five strikeouts and inducing a double-play to erase his lone walk on the day improving to 2-0 on the season.

The Cougars took 3-of-4 from Western Nebraska while tying in one game to improve to 4-3-1 on the season.  Barton opened the weekend series Saturday with a 6-3 victory before the teams battled to a 3-3 tie in the nightcap as darkness suspended play as they headed to the top of the seventh inning.  On Sunday Barton swept the doubleheader winning 10-0 in the first game then wrapped up the series with a 4-2 victory.   

Barton will next play on Wednesday as the Cougars head to Hays, Kansas, to take on the Fort Hays State University Junior Varsity at 3:00 p.m.  The Cougars will open their home portion of the schedule Monday, February 24, in a doubleheader against Midland University Junior Varsity.