AIKEN, S.C.-The Barton College softball team opened up its 2011 campaign with four non-conference games against Southeast Region opposition in the Aiken Early Bird Invitational at Citizens' Park over the weekend.
The Lady Bulldogs lost all four contests against a quartet of teams that combined for a 150-59 record last year. Barton started off against three straight foes that played in the 2010 NCAA Division II Tournament including Augusta State University (L, 5-6), No. 2 North Georgia College & State University (L, 0-8), and Francis Marion University (L, 2-7). Lander University (L, 0-6) kept the Bulldogs winless in the tournament finale.
Sophomore catcher Rebecka Morgan (Huntingtown, Md.) started the weekend off in dramatic fashion by hitting a two-run home run in the first inning of the season. Morgan had three hits and three RBI in the tourney.
Senior center fielder Jessica McFadden (Wilmington, N.C.) and junior shortstop Stacey Wade (Snow Hill, N.C.) each hit safely in three games. McFadden finished 5-of-9 with a stolen base and run scored. Wade totaled four hits, two sac bunts, two runs, and one double.
Barton (0-4) will be looking to even its record with four more neutral site games in the Lady Eagles Invitational hosted by North Carolina Central University in Cary, N.C., next Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 12-13.
SATURDAY: Augusta State 6, Barton 5
The Jaguars (1-0) rallied from an early deficit and then held on for a close 6-5 win. Barton outhit ASU 8-5 but left seven runners on base compared to only two by the Jags.
Morgan's first-inning blast to left center gave the Bulldogs a quick 2-0 advantage. Augusta State knotted the score in the home half before BC took its last lead in the third on an RBI-groundout by junior Emily Jordan (Pikeville, N.C.).
ASU jumped ahead 6-3 with a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth before Barton attempted a late comeback. Junior pinch hitter Holly Cowand (Merry Hill, N.C.) and McFadden started the rally with singles. Junior Michole Brown (Wilson, N.C.) re-entered for Cowand and scored on an error. McFadden tagged up and pulled the Bulldogs within one on a sacrifice fly by Morgan but a caught stealing ended the comeback attempt.
McFadden and freshman Samantha Colein (Hyattsville, Md.) accounted for half of the Bulldogs eight hits with two hits apiece. Colein and Wade each ripped a double.
Only four of the six runs allowed by Barton junior starter Emily Jordan (Pikeville, N.C.) were earned in the complete game performance.
SATURDAY: #2 North Georgia 8, Barton 0 (5 innings)
The second ranked Saints (1-0) got back to their winning ways after NGCSU suffered its only two losses of the 2010 season in the NCAA Division II National Championship finals.
North Georgia took advantage of five Bulldogs errors and scored in four of the five innings to eight-run rule the Bulldogs. Only three of the Saints eight runs against junior starter Kendall Street (Bertie, N.C.) were earned.
Singles by McFadden and Jordan were the Bulldogs only base knocks.
Junior third baseman Hilary Cox (Douglasville, Ga.) led North Georgia offensively with a three-run homer and an RBI single. Senior Sarah Phillips (Powell, Ohio) did not have a strikeout in the complete-game shutout.
SUNDAY: Francis Marion 7, Barton 2
For the second straight day Barton took a first inning lead against a regional power with two runs in the opening frame but the Patriots (2-0) scored seven runs on 11 hits en route to the 7-2 win.
Francis Marion – receiving votes in the first NFCA National Poll of 2011 – scored in the first three innings to take a 5-2 lead and added two late insurance runs in the sixth.
Barton got its runs on a two-run double into the left-center gap by Jordan. Wade and Street scored on the play after reaching base with walks.
Brown had two of the Bulldogs seven hits with a pair of bunt singles.
Eight different Patriots hit safely as Francis Marion pounded out seven singles and four doubles.
SUNDAY: Lander 6, Barton 0
Freshman M.K. Pegram (Fuquay-Varina, N.C.) and sophomore Amanda Hamby (Belton, S.C.) combined for a complete-game shutout as the Bearcats (2-1) blanked Barton 6-0 in Sunday's second game.
Pegram posted seven strikeouts over the first six innings to get the win. The Lander bats supported Pegram with six runs on 10 hits. Sophomore Brittney Sheriff (Belton, S.C.) was 3-for-3 with three singles.
McFadden and sophomore Elizabeth Webb (Wilson, N.C.) both had two singles. Street had the Bulldogs lone extra-base hit with a leadoff double to start the fourth.
