The Lady Bulldogs (6-4) managed only a split for the day, however, as Flagler College shut out Barton, 8-0, in BC’s second game behind a three-hit pitching performance from Ally Marcano, the reigning Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II National Pitcher of the Week.

Game 1: Barton 4, Saint Joseph’s 3

Barton fell behind 3-2 in the top of the seventh when the Pumas (0-3) used a leadoff bunt single, a sacrifice bunt and a two-out RBI double down the right field line by Briana Wagner to take the lead in the final inning.

Taylor Martin reached base for the Lady Bulldogs with one out in the bottom of the seventh on a single down the left field line. Two batters later, Taylor Bowden reached base on a throwing error by Wagner at short that moved Martin to second. Kelsie Conner followed with her third hit and second RBI of the afternoon, a single through the left side that brought in Martin with the game-tying run.

Bowden moved to third on Conner’s hit and scored the game-winning run when Hearp drilled a 2-2 pitch from Saint Joseph’s reliever Morgan Masters (0-1) into left-center.

It was Hearp’s second hit of the day. The first one came in the fourth inning as Barton scored for the first time in the game. Trailing 2-0 after Saint Joseph’s produced single runs in the first and third innings, the Lady Bulldogs used consecutive singles by Conner, Hearp and Megan Kelly to get on the board against Pumas starter Sara DeMuth.

The Lady Bulldogs struck again in the fifth, using a single by Martin, a sacrifice bunt by Sydney Speight, a wild pitch and an RBI single to left by Conner to chase DeMuth and tie the game at 2-all, setting up the dramatic final inning.

Sophomore Hannah Jones improved to 3-0 on the season with the complete-game pitching victory for BC, scattering eight hits, walking two and striking out a career-high seven batters.

Kelly joined Conner and Hearp with multiple hits in the contest.

Game 2: Flagler 8, Barton 0

Barton could do little at the plate against Flagler’s freshman pitching sensation, Marcano (7-1).

The Middletown, N.Y., resident went 3-0 last week with an 0.30 ERA and just 11 hits allowed in 23 innings while striking out 39 in earning top national honors. She continued that type of dominating work against the Lady Bulldogs, giving up three hits, walking one and striking out eight in the complete-game shutout.

Kelly produced a leadoff single in the bottom of the first off Marcano, but she was thrown out trying to steal second, and Barton didn’t get another base runner until Carolina Merrill’s single with two outs in the third.

The Lady Bulldogs had their only base runner reach scoring position in the fourth when Speight advanced second base on a leadoff single and a throwing error at short. However, Marcano collected a strikeout and a pair of groundouts to strand her there.

Flagler (9-8) scored the only run it would need in the top of the first when Alli-Ann Bigale walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single up the middle by Maddy Murphy.

The Saints took advantage of two BC errors in the third inning to add three more runs off Barton’s starter, Hearp, and padded their lead with a three-run seventh off reliever Morgan Pedley.

Hearp (2-1) allowed seven hits and four earned runs, walked two and struck out seven in suffering her first collegiate loss.

Barton will complete its play in the Mid-South Classic on Saturday with two more games at Tyger River Park. The Lady Bulldogs will face Newberry College at 10 a.m., and will take on UNC Pembroke at noon.