Two solid pitching performances were not enough for the Barton Community College baseball team on Friday at Lawson-Biggs Field, as Cloud County put together enough offense to record a pair of Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division victories.
The Thunderbirds managed only five hits in Game 1, but won 5-0, then, collected 10 in the nine-inning second game to win 3-0 to complete the series sweep over the Cougars.
The Cougars got complete-game pitching performances in both games, the first coming from sophomore Brett Tunnell. Throwing 115 pitches, Tunnell limited the Thunderbird bats to only five hits while striking out seven in seven innings of work, but fell to 2-2 on the season.
Barton sophomore Dylan Turpin went 2-for-3 from the plate in finishing as the only player for either team to collect a multi-hit performance.
A two-out double by Cloud’s Austin White got the T-birds on the board in the top of the second inning, but a three-run third broke the game open. Cloud tacked on another in the fourth to secure the win while also holding the Cougars at bay.
Caleb Blumer went the distance for Cloud with a five-hitter of his own while recording two strikeouts.
Barotn sophomore Skylar Hill took his first loss of the season in Game 2 to drop to 1-1 on the season. Hill scattered 10 hits and struck out 11 in nine innings surrendering a single run in the fourth and two in the sixth.
Trevor Rinne was equally impressive for the Thunderbirds, limiting the Cougars to eight hits and striking out three.
A pair of freshman led the Cougars in hitting as Eric Benson got three hits in his five at bats and Braxton Byfield went 2-for-4.
Barton, who has lost seven straight including a seventeen inning scoring drought, falls to 9-17 overall, 6-10 in conference play, while Cloud improves to 12-14, 5-7.
The Cougars will step out of conference play on Tuesday in hosting the junior varsity squad from Bethany College. First pitch for the doubleheader at Lawson-Biggs Field is slated for 4 p.m.

Seward County
sweeps Lady Cougars
LIBERAL — The Barton softball team fell 8-0 and 11-6 in Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division games against Seward County on Friday.
The Lady Cougars drop to 6-10 overall, 0-6 in the West. Seward improves to 20-13, 3-3.
Barton challenges Butler on Wednesday at El Dorado. The doubleheader starts at 3 p.m.

Barton relay team
takes fourth place
TALLAHASSEE — The Barton men’s 4x100-meter relay team captured fourth place at the Florida State University Relays on Friday.
Tony Green, Brien Berry, Keirston Lightbourne and David Winters combined for a time of 41.19 seconds, beating the standard NJCAA National meet’s qualifying time of 42.19.