Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
by Kevin Buczek
GAFFNEY, S.C.-Senior starter Kyle Norville had arguably his best performance of the season and junior shortstop Dillon Rudio drove in three runs as Barton College won its second straight Conference Carolinas series with a 7-3 victory over host Limestone College in Saturday's first game at Bob Prevatte Field.
The Saints (17-16 Overall, 7-10 Conf.) took the three-game series finale 10-1 to stay just ahead of the Bulldogs (15-15, 5-9) in the league standings.
Barton has won 10 of its last 13 games including 5-of-6 conference clashes to move back into playoff contention. The Bulldogs will next visit NAIA foe St. Andrews University on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Sophomore second baseman Spiers Miller led the Bulldogs offensively going 3-for-5 on the day with a walk and a home run. Junior Phillip Cotten collected three hits and scored three times.
GAME ONE: Barton 7, Limestone 3
Norville only allowed two runs over six strong innings and he got plenty of run support as Barton ran away with the four-run victory in the opener. Norville (3-3) won his second straight decision scattering just five hits and recording four strikeouts.
Rudio provided much of the Bulldogs offense with a sacrifice fly in the second and a two-run double in the sixth.
Barton scored two runs in the second and never trailed. Cotten started the opening rally with the first of two singles and later scoring on Rudio's sac fly in foul territory. Senior Zac Crumpler walked in the frame and trotted home on a Saints throwing error for the Bulldogs second run.
Limestone cut the deficit in half with its first tally in the bottom of the third but Miller hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth to extend BC's advantage back to two runs at 3-1. Miller's second blast of the season flew over the left field fence.
The Bulldogs pulled away with a four-run sixth that featured Rudio's double to right that plated a pair of runs. Miller added an RBI-single to left and sophomore Mitchell Wheeler completed Barton's scoring with a sacrifice fly to center.
Miller was a perfect 2-for-2 with a walk, two RBI and two runs scored. Cotten and sophomore JT Bunch each added a pair of singles as Barton outhit the hosts 9-6.
The Saints scored one run in both the bottom of the sixth and seventh to close the final gap to four runs but Norville wiggled out of the sixth and senior reliever Christian Oliver limited the damage in the seventh.
Junior Collins Cuthrell had a bunt single in the third to extend his team-best hit streak but then went 0-for-4 in the nightcap to end the streak at 14 games.
GAME TWO: Limestone 10, Barton 1
Sophomore Kaleb Earls, who suffered the loss on Friday, bounced back with a nine-inning complete game for Limestone as the Saints salvaged the series finale. Earls (5-4) held the Bulldogs to just four hits and one run while fanning eight.
Limestone slowly built its lead up with one run off of Barton sophomore starter Brandon Warren in the first and third before pulling away with three runs in the fourth and five more in the sixth.
Junior catcher Cooper Gunter drove in five Saints and junior second baseman KJ McAllister singled four times in the leadoff spot to showcase LC's 14-hit assault.
The Bulldogs lone run came in the top of the eighth. Barton loaded the bases with consecutive base knocks off the bats of Cotten, Crumpler and Miller but only managed one run with a Rudio sac fly that tagged up Cotten from third.
Senior Phillip Williams had the Bulldogs only base hit over the first seven innings with a seeing-eyed single through the right side of the infield in the fourth. Earls held Barton without an extra-base hit.
