Dodge City baseballs series with Barton transitioned to Dodge City over the weekend and wrapped up with a doubleheader that saw the Cougars take both games 9-2 and 12-5.
The losses drop the Conquistadors to 15-17 on the season and 7-5 in KJCCC action.
More KJCCC action looms ahead for the Conqs as they will take on Colby next week with the series starting in Dodge City on Thursday, March 30th, and then a doubleheader in Colby on Saturday, April 1st.
Game 1 – Lost 9-2 vs Barton
The first game of the day and third of the series saw early offense for Barton while the Conqs offense struggled as Barton's pitcher would carry not only a no-hitter but a perfect game into the seventh inning. Conqs saw Barton get on the board with a run in the first inning, then four in the second, and one more in the third, while scoring one more in the sixth and two in the seventh. Down to the final three outs of the game, the Conqs offense finally broke through working the bases loaded on a walk, hit by pitch, and single and then
Cooper Tomkinson delivered a two-RBI single but that would be all the Conqs get falling 9-2.
Tomkinson and
Andrew Detlefsen record the lone two hits for the Conqs while
Cooper Schneider and
Zandt Payne each had a run scored after drawing a walk and being hit by a pitch, respectively.
Zack Robinson was solid in relief for the Conqs tossing 4.1 innings giving up just two runs on six hits, no walks, and one hit batter with five strikeouts.
Game 2 – Lost 12-5 vs Barton
In the series finale, the Conqs took the initial lead of the contest as Detlefsen blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, but Barton countered with a run in the second to tie the contest. In the third Barton swung the lead their way with a pair of runs but Conqs made it a one-run game with an RBI single by Tomkinson in the bottom of the third. The Cougars would extend the lead with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth on home runs and it was 6-2. In the bottom of the fifth, the Conqs worked the bases loaded and Payne would draw a bases-loaded walk to score a run, but it would only be one run in the inning. Bottom of the seventh the Conqs again got some offense rolling scoring two to cut the lead to one at 6-5. Cougars answered the Conqs' run to get back in the game by plating five runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth as the Conqs fell 12-5 in the series finale.
In the loss, Detlefsen had a strong game going 3-5 with a home run, run scored, RBI, and double, while
Carson Wright was 3-4 with an RBI and double. Schneider was 1-3 with a run scored, walk, and hit by a pitch and
Nick Mesquita added a 1-3 game with a run scored and walk.
Michael DeBattista and
Brian Hallum each tossed 3.2 innings of work, while
Justus Revill and
Carson Frakes each appeared on the mound, also for the Conqs.
