Two-out hits send Barton Softball to final day split of Pioneer Classic #GoBarton

The Barton Community College softball team went 1-1 for the second day in a row to conclude the weekend's Pioneer Classic held at Forsyth High School in Forsyth, Missouri.

Barton picked up its second win over host North Arkansas College Pioneers by a more competitive 9-0 blanking in six innings but couldn't shut a two-out door in the nightcap's fifth inning to take a 10-1 complete game loss to Neosho County Community College.

Finishing the weekend 2-2, Barton will look for more favorable results in its home opener on Wednesday in a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader versus the junior varsity of Central Christian College.

Recap vs North Arkansas College
Sydni Williams produced the big game at the plate, driving in four runs and connecting on not just her first, but second collegiate home run in the process. The freshman gave the Cougars a 2-0 first inning start delivering her first big fly on a 1-2 pitch driving in Jaysa Anderson's leadoff walk then capped the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-run walk-off on a 3-2 pitch in pushing home Ireland Cotton's leadoff single joining Williams in a multi-hit game.

Jessica Morgan returned to the circle following Friday's heart-breaking walk-off home run loss, scatted two hits, walked three, and struck out eight in six innings of work giving the freshman 15 strikeouts in 11.2 innings of work.

Tacking a solo run to their lead in the second, the pushed four more across the dish in the third frame getting RBIs from Halie Stoneking, Kennedee Lara, Anderson, and Cotton.

RECAP vs Neosho County
For the second day in a row the Barton and the Panthers of Neosho County had trouble producing runs early until a decisive fifth inning doomed the Cougars.

Scattering just a hit and a walk through four innings, Kayla Beers ran into trouble in the fifth. Losing a full-count pitch allowing a one-out walk, consecutive singles loaded the bases. Beers induced a harmless infield pop-up for the second out and had the next batter on the ropes but couldn't get the full-count punch out before allowing a two-run double. Striking out the next batter on a passed ball, the Panthers reached safely allowing another run to score before consecutive doubles drove in four more runs in the six run Neosho County frame.

A pair of singles and a groundout tacked on another in the sixth off reliever Elizabeth Horsch before adding three more to the Panther total on three hits and a pair of walks.

Getting outhit 11-5, Barton left seven runners on base in producing its solo run in the home half of the sixth on a sac fly after Cotton's one-out double and Williams' single.