The Barton Community College baseball team rallied from an eight run deficit Tuesday to defeat Pratt Community College 17-13 at Pratt’s Jud Stanion Field.

The Cougars outscored Pratt 14-2 in the final four innings to get the win, improving their Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference record to 5-2 and 8-7 overall, while dropping Pratt to 2-5 and 4-8.  The teams will met again on Wednesday in a nine-inning contest set for 4 p.m. at Jud Stanion Field.

Pratt answered Barton’s run in the top of the first with two of their own in the home half. The Beavers then put up six runs in the second while the Cougars responded with two in the top of the third. Getting three in the bottom of the third, the Beavers took a seemingly commanding 11-3 to the fourth.

Barton scored nine runs in the fourth, three coming off an Aaron Gile homerun to cut the deficit to 11-8.  Back-to-back walks by Dylan Turpin and Nathan Train set up Pete Ruiz’ RBI single to left. Great Bend product Jace Bowman then followed with a RBI single to right, as Barton had drawn to within one.

Alex King, the reigning conference player of the week, tied the game at 12 despite hitting into a double play. Erik Benson completed the Cougars comeback on a single to up the middle as the Cougars roared back to take a 12-11 lead. Pratt answered in the home half on a sacrifice fly but left the bases full.

The fifth produced some wild Pratt pitching as Barton’s first three batters reached base after getting hit at the plate. The Cougars capitalized to take a 15-12 lead getting a two RBI single by Bowman and an Aaron Coombs sac bunt.

Barton tacked on single runs in both the sixth and seventh on a Turpin fielder’s choice, and Bowman single and score on a passed ball.

Pratt managed to get a two-out run in the bottom of the seventh but left the bases loaded.

Brett Tunnell picked up the win for Barton improving his record to 1-1 on the season.