WILSON, N.C. – The Barton softball team (19-15, 10-6) made it six victories in a row with a doubleheader sweep of Emmanuel (Ga.) (12-24, 5-9), 6-0 and 13-10, Friday afternoon in Conference Carolinas action at Jeffries Field.
Game One – Barton 6, Emmanuel (Ga.) 0
Barton freshman
Rilee Jones (Virginia Beach, Va.) continued her dominant pitching of late, throwing a three-hit shutout while striking out 11 batters. Jones improved to 12-4 on the year and shut out her fourth consecutive opponent, all Conference Carolinas teams.
The Bulldogs took control with a four-run second frame. Barton junior catcher
McCrae Knapp (Hertford, N.C.) drove in a pair of runs while the Lions were hurt by four errors which led to a pair of unearned runs. Emmanuel's Dani Fairey (Covington, Ga.) fell to 3-5 after taking the loss.
Game Two – Barton 13, Emmanuel (Ga.) 10
Knapp and junior shortstop
Mikayla Rose (Beaufort, N.C.) hit home runs and the Bulldogs scored eight runs in the bottom of the fourth to jump out to a big lead and held on for the victory.
Knapp hit a three-run home run which was followed by Rose's solo shot to cap the frame. Barton sophomore third baseman
Lindsey Massengill (Pine Level, N.C.) added three runs batted in as the Bulldogs raced to an 11-3 lead after fourth innings of play on their way to the sweep.
Emmanuel's Noelle Petty (Buford, Ga.), Kaylan Pruitt (Jefferson, Ga.) and Mackensie Hogan (Canton, Ga.) all drove in three runs for the visitors but the deficit was too great to overcome.
Barton sophomore
AnnaKate Gilchrist (Clayton, N.C.) earned the victory while Sydney Blackmon (Elberton, Ga.) suffered the Lions, who did register 15 hits in the contest but came up short.
Barton remains at home to take on Erskine on Saturday in its home finale for the regular season in a conference doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m., while Emmanuel plays Chowan on the road in Murfreesboro, N.C., starting at Noon.
