Broncbusters Split Sunday; Finishes with 45 Wins

Wichita, KS (westernkansasnews.com) The Garden City Community College survived the first two days of the region VI baseball tournament in Wichita. Day three on Sunday marked the end of their season, but not before eliminating another team and making it to the Final Four.

Garden knocked out the team that two years ago beat them in the regional tourney 12-8, defeating Kansas City, Kansas 7-2.

Game One Highlights

Brendan Peitsmeyer won his 10th game in his final start for the Broncbusters. Peitsmeyer worked around jams all day allowing 12 hits on two unearned runs in the fifth inning. Peitsmeyer ended the season winning his last three games, two in the post-season (10-1).

The offense came out early for the Broncbusters. Rightfielder Brooks Benson hit a solo homer to left in the first inning off Blue Devils starter Dustin Eby to give Garden a 1-0 lead.

The Broncbusters then added four more runs in the fourth inning on C.J. Krainock’s bunt single for a RBI, a wild pitch to bring in Jesse Gonzales and Aeneas Roberson’s two run double. For Roberson it was his second hit of the tournament (2-11). He was thrown out on the play trying to stretch his double into a triple.

For the game the Blue Devils left eleven on base and after clawing their way back to 5-2 in the fifth, Garden regained the momentum back when third baseman Alex Nielsen clubbed his eighth homer of the season to left off KCK reliever Cameron Bednar.

The win marked the 45th of the season for the Broncbuster, tied for the most in Coach Chris Finnegan’s 11 years (2009). KCK finished the season 41-20.

Post-game GCCC Head Coach Chris Finnegan

Game Two Highlights

 

In game two, Garden could not keep the magic alive falling to Johnson County (45-18) 5-2.

Tyler Franek (2-4) gave up three runs in the first inning all with two out. Cavaliers Designated Hitter Josh Crosby singled in two as part of a 4 RBI night. Crosby added another RBI single in the fourth to give Johnson County a 4-2 lead and knocked in pinch runner Miles Starks in the eighth to give his team a 5-2 lead.

The only inning where Garden scored came in the second when Jesse Gonzales single brought in both Mason Brown and Sean Kennedy. The next batter C.J. Krainock hit into a 4-6-3 double play, one of five turned by Johnson County on the night.

Cavaliers starting pitcher Wally Nellor tossed into the eighth improving his record to 4-3. He gave up two runs, one earned on ten hits while striking out two and walking one. Keaton Graf made his third appearance of the tournament and notched his second save getting the final two outs of the eighth and in the ninth struck out the side in order.

Second Post-game GCCC Head Coach Chris Finnegan

The Broncbusters finished 2-2 in Wichita and were the only team in the Jayhawk West remaining after Johnson County early Sunday knocked out Hutch 10-6 in 10 innings.