NIACC drops series to Barton CC

GREAT BEND, Kan. - The NIACC baseball team dropped a 3-game series to Barton CC last Friday and Saturday.

Barton CC topped NIACC 2-1 and 10-7 in a doubleheader on Friday and completed the sweep of the non-conference series with 10-5 win on Saturday.

In the series opener, Barton scored a single run in the bottom of the seventh inning off NIACC releiver Carson Knebel to walk off the Trojans.

Barton scored its other run in the fourth inning and the Trojans tied the contest at 1-1 with a solo home run from John Doty, who was 3 for 3. The three hits by Doty tied a single-game career-high.

NIACC starting pitcher Zach Dohrmann recorded a career-high nine strikeouts with six walks in five innings of work. He allowed one run on two hits.

In the second game on Friday, Barton CC scored three runs in the second inning, four runs in the sixth inning and three runs in the seventh inning of a nine-innning game.

The Trojans pushed across one run in the first inning, two runs in the second inning, two runs in the fifth inning and two runs in the ninth inning.

The Trojans received two home runs from Alex Berreth and one home run from Bennett McCollow. The two home runs by Berreth was the first time a Trojan hit two home runs in a game since Cayden Nicoletto hit two against Iowa Central on May 3, 2022.

Also for the Trojans, Brayden Hellum collected two hits.

NIACC starting pitcher Fritz Meyer allowed three runs on two hits with six strikeouts and three walks in four innngs of work. The six strikeouts matched Meyer's career high.

In the final game of the series on Saturday, Barton CC led 5-1 after seven innings. The Trojans trimmed the deficit to 5-4 with three runs in the top of the eighth inning but Barton CC plated five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to push its lead to 10-4.

NIACC added a single run in the ninth inning but that was as close as the Trojans would get.

McCollow was 3 for 4, including a home run, with two runs scored and two RBIs. Eli Anderson collected two hits for the Trojans.

NIACC (4-13 overall) returns to action Friday and Saturday in a four-game series at Moberly Area CC in Moberly, Mo.