Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 by Benny Benton
DUE WEST, S.C. – The Barton College softball team suffered a pair of one-run losses in its Conference Carolinas opener on Saturday at Erskine College.
Game one was particularly disappointing for the Lady Bulldogs (3-8, 0-2), as Barton held a lead going into Erskine's final at-bat but gave up two runs to fall, 6-5, on a two-out walk-off single.
In the second contest, Barton's Liz White tossed a complete-game four-hitter, but Erskine (11-7, 2-0) had two pitchers combine on a four-hitter of their own in a 2-1 win.
Senior Rachel Jordan and junior Taylor Bowden both had a home run and three RBI for Barton in the doubleheader.
Game 1 – Erskine 6, Barton 5
Bowden led off the top of the seventh with a solo home run, putting the Lady Bulldogs into the lead, 5-4. The blast, her first of the season, was her third RBI of the game, as she also had a two-run double in the second inning to provide the game's first runs.
However, White could not hold the lead in relief in the bottom of the seventh. White got pinch-hitter Kaitlyn Kerley to swing at strike three but the pitch was wild, allowing Kerley to reach base. One out later, Reagan Davis singled to left and advanced to second on an error, with Kerley moving to third.
White threw out Kerley at the plate on a ball back to the mound off the bat of Brittany Reynolds for the second out of the inning, but Reynolds hustled to second base on the play, leaving two runners in scoring position.
Sophomore Sydney Smith followed with the walk-off game-winner, driving in Davis and Reynolds on a single back up the middle.
Davis went 3-for-4 in the game with an RBI for Erskine, while Smith was 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Bowden produced the game's first two runs on a double in the top of the second inning.
The Fleet got one run back on a solo home run by Chandler Crawford in the bottom of the frame off Barton starter Hannah Jones, but Rachel Jordan ripped a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the third for the Lady Bulldogs to extend BC's lead to 4-1.
Erskine responded with two runs on two hits in the bottom of the third to pull within one again, 4-3, and the Fleet tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when Jacquie Hill tripled and scored on Julia Cole's single through the left side.
Jones worked five-plus innings for Barton, allowing eight hits and four runs. She did not walk a batter and struck out three. The freshman also had two hits at the plate, joining Jordan, Bowden and Megan Kelly.
Danica Newton tossed six innings for the Fleet, scattering seven hits and surrendering five runs, four of them earned. Newton struck out three and walked one. Kaylin White earned the win in relief, giving up one hit after taking over following Bowden's home run.
Game 2 – Erskine 2, Barton 1
Liz White (1-6) retired the first seven Erskine batters she faced in game two, three by strikeout, then overcame a hit and two Barton errors to keep the Fleet scoreless through three innings.
The Lady Bulldogs had their chances early against Erskine's Kaylin White (5-2), drawing two walks in the first and collecting two hits in the third. But Barton stranded those runners, sending the game into the fourth inning in a scoreless tie.
The Flying Fleet finally broke through in the fourth when Reynolds and Smith produced back-to-back singles to start the frame. Reynolds moved to third on Smith's hit and scored on a sacrifice fly by Lydia Trexler.
Erskine added another run in the bottom of fifth, again taking advantage of a leadoff hit. Britton Young started the inning with a double to right-center and was replaced by pinch-runner Julia Cole, who advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.
Barton scored its lone run in the top of the sixth when Kelly singled up the middle for her second hit of the game and later came home on an RBI double to left-center by Jordan. After Bowden followed with a walk, Kaylin White was relieved by Candace Fitch, who delivered a strikeout to end the BC threat and protect the one-run lead.
Fitch also worked the seventh to finish off her third save of the year. She walked one and struck out three in one and one-third innings. Kaylin White walked three and struck out four in her five and two-thirds innings of work.
Barton will continue its road trip on Sunday with a stop in Franklin Springs, Ga., for a Conference Carolinas doubleheader with Emmanuel College. Game one is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
