Broncbusters Roar Back to Split Doubleheader
Garden City Community College Baseball team hosted Pratt Community College in a double header on Thursday, April 4, 2024 at Williams Stadium in Garden City, Kan. The Busters dropped the two games to the Beavers, game one 2 - 9 and game two 6 - 22. Photo credits; Adam Shrimplin, Shrimplin Photography
DODGE CITY, Kan. – The Broncbusters proved they could compete all series long.
GCCC battled tough throughout their series with Dodge City. In their series finale, the Busters put together one of their most complete wins of the season.
The Garden City Broncbusters split their doubleheader at Cavalier Field, losing 8-3 in game one, but turning around a 12-5 win in game two. Dodge City won the series, 3-1.
Garden City (6-37, 2-22 KJCCC) played remarkably on both ends in game two.
The bats produced 11 hits, also drawing six walks in the victory. Pitching-wise was where things stood out, striking out nine and giving up just one run over the final six innings.
Dodge City’s (30-18, 14-10 KJCCC) pitching commanded throughout the first games. Garret Carter went the distance in game one with seven shutout innings, Brian Hallum recorded six scoreless frames in game three.
Hallum, a Kansas University commit, struck out six batters and allowed just two hits, earning his seventh win of the year
The Broncbusters’ penultimate series of the season begins on Thursday, April 25th, against the Cloud County Thunderbirds. Coverage on 99.9 ‘The Rock’ begins at 12:45 PM from Concordia.
Game 3: Dodge City, 8-3
The Conquistadors never trailed, hitting hard early against right-hander Taylor Dooley.
Dodge recorded three doubles during their first time through the lineup card, including a pair of RBI two-baggers.
DCCC opened the scoring in the first for the third game running, Cooper Schneider doubling in Juan Rivera from third base. Andrew Detlefsen joined in the party in the second, knocking in Nick Gray.
Detlefsen hit two of Dodge City’s four doubles in game one, scoring twice.
DCCC consistently put the hurt on Dooley, who did manage to get through five complete innings. The Conqs scored in four of those innings but only hung multiple runs in the second frame.
Dodge City put the game away in the bottom of the sixth, plating two more off the GCCC bullpen.
The Broncbusters, who managed just three hits in game three, were able to peg back three runs in their final inning. Freshman Christian Ayers collected his first career RBI on a bases-loaded walk.
Nick Barber was the standout for Garden City in game three, plating an RBI single in his fourth time to the dish. Barber finished 2-for-4 in game three, the only Broncbuster with multiple hits.
Grant Ryan also knocked a run in via a fielder’s choice.
Game 4: Garden City, 12-5
There was plenty of adversity GCCC had to battle through early. The Broncbusters unleashed one of their best endings to a game all year, scoring nine of the final 10 runs.
Dodge City would gain the lead three different times in the early innings. The Conqs put up four runs on just two hits in the first three innings, taking a 4-3 lead.
That lead came controversially. Broncbusters’ starter Jace Reid loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the third, then immediately struck out Hallum.
Reid induced a tailor-made double-play ball one pitch later, going 6-4-3 to leave two on base. The call on the field was overturned after a lengthy discussion, which instead tied the game at three. Moments later, a wild pitch allowed the aforementioned Detlefsen to score.
The Broncbusters dug deep after that, dominating the rest of the way through.
GCCC recorded three straight RBI plays in the top of the fifth, executing off a bases-loaded opportunity to retake the lead.
Kaelan Bing, Brittain Brewer, and Caleb Metzen, all drove in a run in quick succession, making it 6-4, Garden City. Metzen’s double down the left field line wound up being the game-winning play.
Dawson Stutz blew the game open for the Broncbusters shortly after. The sophomore drilled a two-RBI single to center field, inducing a bad throw by Dodge City. Grant Ryan went from first to home on the play, making it 10-4 GCCC.
Stutz was incredible in game four, going 4-for-5 with a season-most 5 RBI.
The pitching was lethal in the last six innings. Reid closed up his first career win with his best stuff, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth with back-to-back punch outs.
Chase Demmler secured a nine-out save, throwing three scoreless frames with three punch outs.
The win was Garden City’s first conference victory since March 29th against Colby.
