WILSON, N.C. – The Barton softball team (10-12, 1-3) lost twice to Erskine (13-6, 3-1), 6-5 and 9-7, in a Conference Carolinas doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Jeffries Field.
Game One – Erskine 6, Barton 5 (eight innings)
The Flying Fleet's Hailey Watson (Seneca, S.C.) hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning – scoring Kenzie Eagleman (Sylva, N.C.) – which proved to be the game-winning run as the visitors held on to win in extra frames.
Watson forced the extra inning with an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning to tie the contest at five. Brooke Patterson (Hanahan, S.C.) also drove in two runs while Kaley Ingle (Stoneville, N.C.) (11-2) went the distance to earn the victory on the mound. Ingle struck out seven batters.
For Barton, senior second baseman
Emily Bell (Bunn, N.C.) and junior catcher
Sydney Wade (Farmville, N.C.) both finished with a pair of hits and an RBI but junior
Miranda Holmes (Norfolk, Va.) (1-2) suffered the loss in relief.
Game Two – Erskine 9, Barton 7
The Flying Fleet plated eight runs in the top of the third inning and held on in the end to complete the sweep.
The eight-run frame was highlighted by two-run doubles from Peyton Rabon (Aynor, S.C.) and Addy Crawford (Greenville, S.C.).
Two-run hits from senior first baseman
AnnaKate Gilchrist (Clayton, N.C.) and junior outfielder
Kandyce Condrey (High Point, N.C.) helped cut the lead to 8-7 after five innings of work but the Bulldogs were held scoreless the rest of the way. Condrey had two hits for the Bulldogs.
Ingle (12-2) once again went the distance and struck out six while Barton senior
Rilee Jones (Norfolk, Va.) (2-4) was tagged with the loss.
Barton steps out of league play to take on Wingate in a doubleheader Tuesday at 1:00 p.m., in Wingate, N.C., while Erskine hosts UNC Pembroke on Friday in a conference doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m.
