Barton softball pounds NW Tech in doubleheader sweep #GoBarton #RoarCougs

The Barton Community College softball team pounded out thirty-two hits Saturday at Cougar Field to sweep Northwest Kansas Technical College 23-0 and 9-1.

The Cougars improve to 8-7 on the season and 4-0 in league play while keeping Northwest Tech winless on the year at 0-4 and 0-19.

Barton will hit the road for its next two contests, the first coming in a 2:00 p.m. first pitch at Colby Community College before Friday's interdivision game at nationally ranked Butler Community College.

Betsy Parmley led the Cougars on a perfect seven plate appearances including launching her fourth home run of the season on a two-run shot in the opener's first inning. The freshman also delivered a two-run producing double in the third inning of game two in closing out the day with a team leading seven runs batted in.

Four additional home runs were hit in the twin bill with two coming off the bat of leadoff hitter Jaelyn Carter. Beginning day's action with a double, Carter drove in the first of her five runs with a second inning single before driving in a pair of runs with a third and fourth inning long ball for the freshman's third of the year.

Brooke McCollough joined Parmley at the top of the team lead with a two run shot in the second inning.

The long balls by Parmley and McCollough helped spur a three-run first followed by a five-run second with Jade Phillips kick starting a thirteen run inning in the third.

Lacing a grounder hugging the right field line, Phillips began the inning with a triple as the Cougars sent eighteen to the plate in the frame. The freshman's second time at-bat connected on her first collegiate home run, coming in grand style with the bases clearing four-run jack to right center.

As good as the offense was in batting .525 on the day, the Barton pitchers did their part with Tia Kohl and Karsyn Smith picking up the victories limiting the Mavericks to just four hits.

Kohl was virtually untouchable through first two innings of the opener, striking out six with a lone walk breaking the streak. Finishing with eight strikeouts, Kohl surrendered just two hits the rest of the way improving to 3-3 on the year.

Smith began game two like Kohl did, striking out the first two batters but the Mavericks' Breanna Hillin broke up the day's shutout with a home run to right center. Improving to 3-2 on the season, Smith also surrendered just a pair of hits while finishing with three strikeouts.

After the Mavericks got on the scoreboard, the Cougar bats went to work producing runs in each of the four innings.

Kaleigh Peak's single and third stolen base of the year crossed the dish for the equalizer on Parmley's single. Jayden Solberg and Demi Kunkel's consecutive doubles put two more on the board, with Kunkel scoring on one of the Mavericks' five errors in the game.

Another error gave Barton a solo run in the second with Parmley's double plating one of the Cougars' three runs in the third as another Tech error in the fourth helping provide the run-rule clincher.