Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 by Benny Benton
WILSON, N.C. – Sophomore Liz White and senior Autumn Pittman both turned in outstanding pitching performances, and the Barton College offense provided plenty of support with 25 hits in two games as the Lady Bulldogs rolled past visiting Elizabeth City State University, 10-0 and 5-1, in a non-conference softball doubleheader Saturday at Jeffries Field.
The Lady Bulldogs (7-12) needed just five innings to invoke the eight-run rule in the opener after pounding out 15 hits. Samantha Bass went 3-for-3 in the game, scored twice and drove in two runs. Megan Kelly, Kendra Kassonie and Crystal Britton each added a pair of hits, with Kelly and Kassonie each collecting two RBI as well.
White (1-7) worked four of the five innings on the mound, giving up only one hit, walking two and striking out seven.
Haley Williams produced the lone hit for Elizabeth City State (3-7), a single to right-center in the top of the first. The hit followed a walk drawn by Kayley Surrento, forcing a runner into scoring position with one out, but White got a pop-up and a strikeout to end the threat.
White retired the next seven batters in a row before Kambrie Robinson reached on an error. White's only other walk of the day gave the Lady Vikings one more chance with a runner in scoring position, but White again recorded a strikeout to end the inning.
Freshman Lindsey Sharpe made her first collegiate pitching appearance in relief of White in the fifth, retiring the side in the order.
Barton gave White a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Kelly singled and advanced to second on an error in left field, stole third and scored on an RBI single up the middle by Kassonie.
The Lady Bulldogs added two more runs in the second inning off ECSU starter Kiyana Merritt (2-1), collecting doubles by Britton, Bass and Kelly.
Barton put the game away with a six-run third inning in which it sent 11 batters to the plate and produced eight hits.
The start to game two was much like the beginning of game one. Barton scored one run in the bottom of the first when Rachel Jordan singled with two outs and came all the way home on a double off the fence in center field by Betsy Braswell. The Lady Bulldogs then added three more runs in the second inning on four hits, the big one a two-run single by Kelly.
Pittman, who came into the contest 3-0 in her career against the Lady Vikings, retired the first seven batters she faced before issuing a rare walk, just her fourth in more than 30 innings of work. Two batters later, Merritt doubled to left-center, driving in ECSU's only run of the afternoon. Surrento followed with a single down the left-field line, but Pittman got a groundout to escape the inning without further damage.
Barton got the run back in the bottom of the fourth off Elizabeth City State pitcher Kambrie Robinson (0-2) when Kassonie singled, stole second and scored on a double to right field by Britton.
Pittman (3-1) worked a total of six innings, allowing five hits and the one run, walking one and striking out five. Sharpe again tossed the final inning in relief, retiring the side in order.
The Lady Bulldogs had a total of 10 hits on offense, with Kassonie, Jordan and Baylis each collecting a pair. Kelly had two RBI for the second straight contest.
Barton was scheduled to return to Conference Carolinas action against Erskine College on Monday, but that contest has been pushed back due to a forecast for rain. The game is tentatively set for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Jeffries Field.
