by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information
Barton County pitchers slammed the door on Kansas City Kansas Community College hitters in sweeping a doubleheader Saturday.
The Blue Devils were limited to three hits in an opening 15-7 loss and just two singles in a 6-0 blanking in the nightcap. The loss left KCKCC 2-3 heading into Jayhawk Conference play at Butler County Thursday. The two teams then conclude the 4-game series at home Saturday.
The Blue Devils scored seven runs on just three hits in the15-7 opener. Palmer Hutchinson belted a two-run home run in the first inning, his second in two days. Caleb Adams singled in a run in a 3-run third and Braden Vawter doubled and scored in the eighth.
Barton jumped in front early, scoring four runs on four hits in the first and five runs on just one hit in the second. Alan Mercado gave up five hits and nine runs (three unearned) before Camden Karlin pitched 3.1 strong innings, allowing three hits, one run and striking out seven. Logan Bernard and Joseph Reyes finished up, each allowing two hits.
Camden Karlin and Cole Dawson had the only KCKCC hits in the 6-0 second game as just five Blue Devils reached base. Gabriel Ramos worked the first four innings, giving up four runs on four hits while striking out seven and walking three. Hunter Cashero pitched the final three innings, allowing two runs on three hits.
Home runs accounted for the first four Barton runs. Connor Scott hit a 2-run round tripper in the second; Conner Allen hammered his third home run in three games in the fourth; and Alex Rodgers had a solo blast in the fifth. Zach Johnson worked the first five innings for the win.