Broncbusters Blast Coffeyville 10-0, Move to Sunday
Wichita, KS (westernkansasnews.com) Never have two baseball tournament games been so different. The only similarity is both ended in a run rule. The Garden City Broncbusters have already seen the highs and lows from the region VI JUCO Baseball tournament in Wichita.
Friday’s Game Highlights
In game one Friday night from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium the Broncbusters saw how good Cowley pitcher Carson LaRue has been this year. LaRue the signee with the University of Houston scattered seven hits while striking out 14 (one short of a season high) and walked just one. He did not allow a runner to reach second base until the sixth inning in an 11-1 win (7 inning game).
Noah Draper battled for the Broncbusters but fell to 7-2 giving up eight runs, six earned on 10 hits over 4 plus innings. Jacob Means hit a two homer in the fifth to right, his second blast of the year and had three RBI. Reid Fehr had a RBI triple and centerfielder Stevie Thompson scored three times.
The only run off LaRue came in the sixth. After Brooks Benson led off with Garden’s only extra base hit of the night a double, Mason Brown added his 67th RBI on a single to bring in Benson.
Post-game GCCC Coach Chris Finnegan
After taking their lumps in the opening game to the 18th ranked Cowley Tigers not only did the Broncbusters survive their first elimination game, they thrived.
Saturday’s Game Highlights
Connor Burns retired 12 in a row and allowed three hits in a complete game shutout improving to 5-1 in the 10-0 win over Coffeyville. For the Busters a small measure of revenge since they lost in the opening round of the region VI tournament last year in Coffeyville.
GCCC knocked out Red Raven starter Tyler Murphy in the third inning scoring four times on a bases loaded walk to Brown for his second RBI. Sean Kennedy and Alex Nielsen had RBI singles. Nielsen’s hit was one of 4 infield singles from Garden in the game. Jesse Gonzales also punched a two run double in the the seventh.
Post-game Saturday GCCC Coach Chris Finnegan
The Broncbusters are at 44 wins, one shy of the most for a Chris Finnegan led team (2009). They will take on Kansas City, Kansas Sunday at 1 in another elimination game. Pre-game is at 12:45 on ESPN 99.9 and westernkansasnews.com.
