The Barton softball team nearly pulled out a big win Sunday afternoon against one of the Jayhawk West’s best teams.
In a battle with West leader and conference unbeaten Seward County, the Cougars nearly won the second game of the doubleheader Sunday at Cougar Fields, losing 9-7. Barton lost the opener, 8-0, getting swept by the Saints.
Barton is 6-4 in the West and 9-13 overall. Seward is 10-0 in the West and 23-13 overall. The Saints lead Butler (8-0) in the West standings. Butler, the 2-time defending NJCAA Champion, is ranked No. 13.
Barton jumped to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first against Seward in the nightcap, scoring three times on just one hit. Seward responded by plating seven runs in the top of the second.
But the Cougars didn’t mail it in. Barton cut it to 7-4 in the second when Kat Frakes and Hailey Pop had back-to-back doubles to score a run.
Trailing 9-4 into the bottom of the fifth, Emma Horsch singled, Maggie Schuetz doubled then Kristin Storer’s ground out allowed Horsch to score to make it 9-5.
Barton made things very interesting in the sixth. The inning started with a single from Alexis Sharples followed by a double from Frakes to score Sharples. Frakes then scored on a single by Pop to make it 9-7. But that is all Barton could muster in the inning, leaving Pop stranded at third when the inning ended.
Barton did get a base runner in the final inning on a 2-out walk, but that would be the extent of the rally.
Frakes had three hits and scored three times in the loss. Pop had two hits and drove in a pair.
Barton did not threaten the Saints in the opener, getting just one hit in the 8-0 loss. Seward scored four in the opening inning and never looked back. Pop’s double in the fourth kept Monique Ashley from a no-hitter.
The Cougars travel to Garden City Wednesday, looking to stay in third place in the West. Garden is 5-5 in the conference and 15-13 overall.

Game 1
Seward 8, Barton 0
Seward 411 001 1 – 8 14 0
Barton 000 000 0 – 0 1 4
Ashley and Harrison; Horsch and Michaelis. W – Ashley. L – Horsch (4-7). 2B – Mortensen 2, Seward; Pop, Barton.

Game 2
Seward 9, Barton 7
Seward 070 200 0 – 9 9 0
Barton 310 012 0 – 7 8 3
Cordrey, Ashley (7) and Harrison; Panning and Reynolds. W – Cordrey. L – Panning (5-5). S – Ashley. 2B – Atteberry, Mortensen 3, Seward; Frakes 2, Pop, Schuetz, Barton. 3B – Owen, Seward.