WILSON, N.C. – The Barton baseball team (2-1) split an NCAA Division II doubleheader with Millersville (Pa.) Saturday afternoon at Nixon Field. The Marauders, ranked No. 17 in the nation, won the first contest by a score of 11-5 while the Bulldogs took the nightcap, 11-2, to salvage the split.
Game One – Millersville 11, Barton 5 (seven innings)
The Marauders scored the first seven runs in the second inning – all with two outs and all unearned – to take control early on their way to the win.
Millersville's Thomas Caufield (West Chester, Pa.) finished with two hits and three runs batted in including a two-run double as the Marauders earned their first win of the season.
On the mound, the Marauders' Ben Wilchacky (Royersford, Pa.) (1-0) got the win after pitching five innings and allowing just one earned run while striking out two batters. For Barton, freshman
Tanner Halvorson (Eau Claire, Wis.) (0-1) suffered the loss. Sophomore outfielder
Carelle Gonzalez (Bridgeton, N.J.) scored twice for Barton.
Game Two – Barton 11, Millersville 2
The Bulldogs scored the first eight runs of the contest on their way to salvaging the split. Sophomore outfielder
Raymond Paniagua (Blue Springs, Mo.) started things off with an RBI double in the first inning for the Bulldogs while senior second baseman
Andres Machado (Coral Gables, Fla.) went four-for-four with three runs batted in to lead Barton.
Gonzalez also drove in three runs while junior
Brett Widerman (Wilmington, N.C.) (1-0) earned the win after pitching into the sixth inning and striking out seven batters for the Bulldogs. Widerman allowed just two runs. Millersville's Colby Gromlich (Hamburg, Pa.) (0-1) took the loss.
Barton and Millersville wrap up the three-game weekend series at Nixon Field beginning at 1:00 p.m.
