EL DORADO, Kan. - Needing a win to move on in the NJCAA Region VI Softball Tournament, the Dodge City Community College softball team used a seven-run third inning to eliminate Barton Community College at East Park in El Dorado, Kansas on Saturday, May 6th.
DC3 keeps their season alive and improves to 24-18 on the year while the Cougars see their season come to a close at 30-16.
BCC would score three in the bottom of the first on three consecutive one out hits to jump out to an early lead before the Conquistadors would respond with a two out RBI single by
Brooklyn Botts to score
Adreanna Guerrero.
The Cougars would go down in order in the bottom of the second to allow for Dodge City to send 11 batters to the plate in the top of the third and score seven runs on four hits with a
Kylie Fox RBI fielder's choice and Guerrero RBI single driving in one run each to tie the game at three.
Taylor Menard would score the go-ahead run to give DC3 the lead for good as Guerrero would come around to score on a
Kim Herron single before
Morgan Ihle capped off the inning with a two-run home run to center field.
Barton would threaten in the bottom of the third by putting two runners on with one out before a 9-3 inning-ending double play would avert the threat and keep the score at 8-3 in favor of the Conquistadors.
A total of three hits (all by Barton) would be seen in the final four innings of play as pitching would take over with the Cougars scoring one run in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home-run to make the final margin of victory stand at four.
Herron (17-10) tossed a complete game in the circle, allowing four runs on eight hits and striking out two. Ihle led all players in the game with two runs batted in while Guerrero managed to be the only Dodge City player with multiple hits.
Brittney Gonzalez and
Baylee Rial would each swipe one bag in the game with Gonzalez collecting one hit and scoring one run.
An early wake-up call will find the Conquistadors facing elimination for the second-straight game when they take on Garden City Community College at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 7th. DC3 is 4-0 against the Broncbusters this year, who fought off elimination twice by beating both Pratt and Colby on Saturday afternoon by a combined score of 23-6.
