Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
by Benny Benton
WILSON, N.C.-The Barton College softball team greatly improved its chances of qualifying for the 2012 Conference Carolinas Tournament on Friday after sweeping St. Andrews University, 7-1 and 5-3, in a league twinbill at Jeffries Field.
The wins moved the Lady Bulldogs (15-21, 6-12) into a virtual tie with eighth-place Pfeiffer – just percentage points behind – for the last spot in the field. However, Barton still trails the Lady Falcons by a game in the win column, and because it lost both games with Pfeiffer this year, does not hold the tiebreaker in a head-to-head tie situation.
Pfeiffer has one conference doubleheader left, that one on the road Saturday against West Division leader North Greenville University. Barton has four league games left – all on the road and against the second-place team in each division. The Lady Bulldogs visit Erskine on Saturday and Queens University on Sunday.
Sophomore Autumn Pittman led Barton in Friday's sweep of St. Andrews, going 3-for-4 at the plate in each game of the doubleheader and driving in three runs. She also was the winning pitcher in game two, tossing an inning and two-thirds of scoreless relief. Senior Kendall Street, the starting pitcher for game two, had two hits in each game.
Amanda VanKleeck and Brittany Gunn each had two hits in game one for the Lady Knights (8-38, 2-12), while Alyssa Carlson had a pair of doubles and drove in two runs to pace St. Andrews in game two.
Barton took control of game one with a five-run second inning that began with an error. A pair of singles by sophomore Alex Baylis and senior Emily Jordan, sandwiched around a fielder's choice that got no one out, helped Barton to a 1-0 lead and set the stage for the big inning. An infield single to second by junior Elizabeth Webb gave the Lady Bulldogs a 2-0 advantage, and a single to right-center by Pittman two batters later increased the lead to 4-0. Street followed with an RBI single through the left side, and Barton took a commanding 5-0 advantage.
Consecutive singles by Pittman and Street to lead off the fourth put the Lady Bulldogs in position to score another run on a St. Andrews error, pushing the margin to 6-0. Barton tacked on a final run in the sixth when freshman Kristin Moore singled with two outs and senior Casey Strickland followed with a RBI double into the gap in right-center.
Jordan (5-8), Barton's starting pitcher in game one, gave up just four hits over five shutout innings, walking one and striking out one. St. Andrews scored its only run of the contest off Pittman in the seventh after Kimberly Baird doubled to right-center and VanKleeck singled to left-center.
If game one was fairly easy for Barton, game two was just the opposite. The Lady Bulldogs trailed 3-1 after four and a half innings before rallying with two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Barton produced 12 hits in the contest, but St. Andrews turned four double-plays in the game and threw out a potential go-ahead run at the plate in the fifth.
Barton had taken a 1-0 lead in the first when Webb reached on an error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Stacy Wade, advanced to third on a single to center by Pittman, and came home on a single to left-center by junior Amber Weaver.
However, St. Andrews got the run right back in the top of the second when Gunn drew a two-out walk from Street and then scored all the way from first on a double to left-center by Lex Cowger.
The Lady Knights grabbed a 2-1 lead in the third inning when Baird led off with a double down the left field line and scored on a two-out double to left by Carlson. It added another run in the top of the fifth when VanKleeck drew a walk and then scored from first on another double by Carlson, this one to right-center.
Trailing 3-1 in the fifth and seeing its tournament hopes in jeopardy, the Lady Bulldogs finally broke through against St. Andrews starter Gunn (1-9). Webb led off the inning with a walk and was replaced at first by Wade following a fielder's choice. Pittman then singled to left, and when the ball was misplayed, Wade came around to score and Pittman moved all the way to third. Street followed with a single up the middle, scoring Pittman with the game-tying run. Barton tried to take the lead when Weaver doubled into the gap in left-center, but Street was easily gunned out at the plate trying to score all the way from first.
The Lady Knights used consecutive singles by Cowger and Whitney Hill to threaten in the sixth. However, Pittman (5-8) stepped in to relieve Street and got a fielder's choice grounder and a liner back to the mound to end the inning.
With the score still tied entering the bottom of the sixth, Freshman Heather Gatton led off the frame for Barton with a single to left. Strickland then put down a bunt, and St. Andrews threw away the ball trying to force out Gatton at second. Freshman pinch-hitter Emily Leagon tried to bunt the runners over, but popped up into a double play that forced out Strickland at first. However, Webb followed with a big two-out single to center, driving in Gatton with the go-ahead run. Wade singled up the middle, advancing Webb to second, and Pittman drove her in with a double to left-center.
St. Andrews did get the potential game-tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh after Amber Madden reached on a two-out error, but Pittman struck out Mary Cross to end the game and preserve Barton's post-season hopes.
Barton's first game against Erskine on Saturday is slated for 1:30 p.m.
