GREAT BEND, Kan. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team scored six runs in both games with a doubleheader with Barton Community College Saturday afternoon, but it wasn't enough as the Barton Cougars earned a 21-6 and 11-6 win over WNCC.

                The first game was a high scoring contest as Barton went on top 3-0. WNCC answered in the top of the second as Bryce Peterson led off with a solo home run to right field. Barton answered with nine runs in the bottom of the second for a 12-1 lead.

                WNCC continued excelling on offense as they plated five in the third to slice the Barton lead in half at 12-6. The third started with three straight passes as Ethan Johnson earned a walk and then Eli Hernandez and Shintaro Inoue were hit by pitches to load the bases. That set up Tyler Easter as he took the first pitch and lofted it over the left-field fence for a grand slam. Peterson followed with a double and he came in to score on a ground out.

                Barton came right back to counter WNCC's five runs with six of their own in the bottom of the third to grab an 18-6 lead and then put the game away with three in the fourth for the 21-6 win.

                WNCC had seven hits as Easter and Peterson each had two hits. Peterson had a double and a home run while Easter had a home run with four RBIs. Garrett Dodd also had two hits in the defeat.

                The second game was more competitive in the 9-inning game. Barton opened the scoring with two in the first. WNCC answered with a single run in the second as Hernandez walked and scored on a 2-out single by Dylan Howard.

                Barton followed with four in the third, single runs in the fourth and sixth, and two in the seventh for a 10-1 lead.

                WNCC mounted a comeback as they scored two in the eighth as Ashton Ross walked and Roangeraud Fraai singled. With two outs, Hernandez singled in Ross and Fraai to cut the deficit to 11-3.

                Barton answered with a single run in the bottom of the eighth. The Cougars came back with three more in the ninth. Max Adam led off with a walk followed by a Jacob Jackson double. Ross followed with a single to score both Adam and Jackson and Ross scored on a Inoue fly ball that was dropped to make it 11-6.

                WNCC finished with eight hits. Inoue and Jackson each had two hits as each had a double and a run scored. Hernandez and Ross each had two RBIs with a single.

                WNCC and Barton will be back on the field for a doubleheader Sunday in Great Bend, Kansas.

Game 1
WNCC                   015 00 – 6 7 3
Barton                  396 3x – 21 16 0
LP – Wyatt Zsidisin.
2B – Bryce Peterson.
HR – Tyler Easter, Bryce Peterson.

Game 2
WNCC                   010 000 023 – 6 8 2
Barton                  204 101 21x – 11 16 1
LP – Adrian Short.
2B – Shintaro Inoue, Jacob Jackson.