Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 by Benny Benton
BRISTOL, Tenn. – Barton College split a Conference Carolinas doubleheader on Saturday at King University, winning the opener 2-0 behind a six-hit shutout from senior pitcher Liz White before falling in the second contest, 5-3.
Senior Samantha Bass capped a 4-for-6 day at the plate with a three-run inside-the-park home run as the Lady Bulldogs tried to rally from a 5-0 deficit in the nightcap, but King pitcher Lauren Smith finished off her own six-hitter to help the Tornado earn the split.
Barton finished the day at 18-21 overall and 6-10 in league play, while King moved to 16-26 overall and 10-10 in the conference.
Game 1 – Barton 2, King 0
Barton scored the only run it would ultimately need in the game in the top of the second inning. Singles by Crystal Britton, Sydney Speight and Bass loaded the bases with no one out. Two batters later, junior Megan Kelly took a 1-2 pitch from King pitcher Hayley Smothers (9-12) opposite field through the right side, driving in Britton with the run.
The Lady Bulldogs added an insurance run in the fifth when Taylor Bowden produced a leadoff double and scored two batters later on a triple to left field by Rachel Jordan.
White (10-10) did the rest, striking out six while walking a pair in the complete-game win.
The Tornado did produce chances off White, getting at least one runner into scoring position in five of the seven innings. However, each time White worked out of trouble.
King brought the potential winning run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but White collected line drive outs to left and center field to wrap up the victory.
Barton produced nine hits in the contest off Smothers, including two each by Bass and Jordan.
Hannah Devotie and Smothers each had two hits among the six total for the Tornado.
Game 2 – King 5, Barton 3
King jumped out to a very fast lead in game two when Jennifer Kern delivered a leadoff single and Devotie followed with a sharp grounder that went just inside the first-base bag and all the way into the right-field corner, allowing Devotie to circle the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
The Tornado tacked on three more runs in the fourth inning off Barton's freshman pitcher, Hannah Jones (7-10), all of them scoring on a two-out double into the gap in left-center by Alliyah Sands.
Barton managed just three hits in the first six innings off Smith (6-8), who did not walk a batter in the contest and struck out three.
The Lady Bulldogs doubled that total in the seventh inning as it tried to rally. Jones and Jordan led off the frame with consecutive singles. One out later, Bass ripped a ball down the right field line which the King outfielder unsuccessfully dove to catch, allowing Bass to run the bases and earn the game's second inside-the-park home run.
However, Smith retired the next two batters in order to prevent a complete comeback by BC.
Bass and Briana Jackson each had two of Barton's six total hits. Seven different players had one hit each for King off Jones, who did not walk a batter and struck out three.
Barton continues its road trip on Sunday with a visit to Banner Elk, N.C., to take on Lees-McRae College in a 2 p.m. league twinbill.
