Baseball | 3/21/2025 9:44:00 AM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 In a battle between the two top teams in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference West Division, the Cloud County Community College baseball team dropped both games of a road doubleheader against Barton Community College on Thursday, March 20. In the first game, the Cougars scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pick up the 6-4 win in seven innings. In the second game, the T-Birds held a 4-0 lead entering the bottom of the fifth inning but couldn't hold on, losing 7-5 in nine innings.

Barton opened game one plating two runs in the top of the first inning. Following a scoreless second inning, the T-Birds loaded the bases in the top of the third when sophomores Cam Macleod and Noah Konings both singled and freshman Lucas Laukkanen drew a walk. Sophomore Austin Coyle then laced a double into right field, emptying the bases to put the T-Birds in front at 3-2.

Freshman Joey Marino doubled to lead off the sixth inning before Laukkanen brought him home on a run-scoring single to left, extending Cloud County's lead to 4-2.

Cloud County's lead disappeared in the bottom half of the frame. Barton sophomores John Connors and Cesar Gomez drew walks to start off the inning. Sophomore Tate Blasi then reached when he was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one-out. Freshman Kyle Walker doubled to right, scoring both Connors and Gomez to tie the game at 4-all. Freshman Hayden Oviatt followed with an RBI ground out to score Blasi, allowing the Cougars to regain the lead. Freshman Kyle Graves added a sacrifice fly that scored Walker, pushing Barton's lead out to 6-4 entering the seventh inning.

Cloud County had the tying runs on the bases in the top of the seventh when freshman Kaden Budke drew a two-out walk and Marino was hit by a pitch, but sophomore pitcher Preston Golden managed to induce a ground out to end the game.

Sophomore Zach Sharshel took the loss, while sophomore Caden Marcum started, going five innings with three earned runs, four hits, four walks and six strikeouts.

The T-Birds tallied eight hits and were led at the plate by Coyle and Laukkanen. Coyle went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Laukkanen was 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI. Marino added his sixth inning double, while Macleod, Konings and sophomore Easton Mould had one hit each.

Cloud County responded to the game one loss by getting three runs on the board in the top of the second inning in game two when Macleod homered for the fifth time this season, driving home Mould and Marino.

The T-Birds held the Cougars scoreless through the first four innings.

Cloud County expanded its lead in the top of the fifth when Laukkanen led off the inning with a double and scored on a Coyle sacrifice fly.

Barton would control the late innings, scoring one run in the fifth and two in the sixth to cut the deficit to 4-3. The Cougars then tied the game in the seventh when Connors led off the inning with a triple to left before he was brought home on an RBI ground out by Gomez.

After Cloud County stranded two base runners in the top of the eighth, Barton scored three runs in the bottom half of the frame. Connors and freshman Tyler Janssen both had run-scoring doubles for the Cougars.

Cloud County was able to get a run back in the top of the ninth inning when a sacrifice fly by Laukkanen scored Macleod, but the T-Birds' comeback efforts ultimately fell short.

Sophomore Myles Chamberlain took the loss. Sophomore Jack MacIntosh shined in his start, throwing five innings and giving up just one run on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Offensively, the T-Birds were led by Macleod who went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBI. Laukkanen also had a pair of hits, including a double, with one run scored and an RBI. Sophomore Nolan Freund went 2-for-4 at the plate. Coyle, Marino and Mould each finished with one hit.

Cloud County (19-7, 8-2 KJCCC) will have a chance to split the series on Saturday, March 22 when they host Barton for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm at Lee Doyen Field in Concordia.