WILSON, N.C. – The Barton baseball team (1-3) fell to No. 5 Catawba (4-1), 15-2, in the Bulldogs' 2026 home opener Tuesday afternoon at Nixon Field.
The Indians were powered by four home runs – including a grand slam by Ty Hubbard (Salisbury, N.C.) in the eighth inning – as the visitors run-ruled Barton.
Catawba's Matthew Connolly (Salisbury, N.C.) added a two-run home run and finished with three hits and four RBI in the triumph as well.
Catawba was also aided by three errors from Barton which led to three unearned runs. The Indians' Parker Lakey (Harrisburg, N.C.) (1-0) allowed two unearned runs to go along with six strikeouts as he pitched into the sixth inning.
For Barton, junior designated hitter
Mason McDougall (Tampa, Fla.) drove in a pair of runs while freshman
Kasey Barcroft (0-1) suffered the setback.
Barton opens Conference Carolinas play on Friday when the Bulldogs travel to Franklin Springs, Ga., to take on Emmanuel beginning at 1:00 p.m. Catawba, meanwhile, hosts Tusculum in its South Atlantic Conference opener on Friday evening starting at 5:00 p.m.
