Buffalo baseball swept by Hays

GARDEN CITY, Kan. — The best start for the Garden City High School baseball team since 2003 came to an end on Friday evening at Clint Lightner Field. The Buffaloes were swept by the Hays Indians, 7-1 and 12-0. Prior to the losses, the Buffs were 5-0, something that hadn’t been done in 16 years.

After a scoreless first inning in game 1, the Indians broke the tie with a two-run second inning. The Indians then would add two more in the third and three in the fourth to go up 7-0 after four innings.

The Buffaloes defense clamped down in the later innings, holding the Indians scoreless the final three innings of play. Garden City scored one run on an RBI ground out for Koby Acker in the bottom of the seventh to break the shutout.

The Indians racked up 15 hits in the contest, including five players with a multi-hit game. Hays starting pitcher Palmer Hutchison went five innings, allowing just two hits and striking out six Buffaloes. Ethan Newberry took the loss in game 1 for Garden City, allowing 13 hits and six runs in three innings of work.

Unlike the first game where Hays didn’t score until the second inning, the Indians started the scoring early in game 2. They would get one in the first, three in the second and four more runs in the third to go up 8-0 after three innings. They would add one more in the fifth and three more in the sixth to get the run-rule victory.

The Indians added 17 more hits in this game, but were also helped by three errors from the Buffaloes. Garden City collected just five hits as a team and were led by Auston Waetzig’s two-hit performance.

Hutchison continued his hot day at the plate for the Indians, going 5-for-5 with 4 RBI in the game 2 victory. He was one of four total players to have multiple hits in the game.

Cooper Thayer received the loss on the mound, going 2 2/3 innings, while allowing eight runs on eight hits and walking four. Cody Petersen collected the win, going four innings, allowing four hits and striking out six Buffaloes along the way.

Garden City falls to 5-2 on the season and will host Great Bend on Friday afternoon at Clint Lightner Field. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. and can be heard on 99.9-FM ESPN Radio, KWKR Mobile App or online at westernkansasnews.com/kwkr.

Hays improves to 8-0 on the season and will travel to Great Bend on Tuesday afternoon.

Game 1

Hays — 0 2 2 3 0 0 0 — 7 15 0

Garden City — 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 — 1 5 2

W: Hutchison. L: Newberry

Game 2

Hays — 1 3 4 0 1 3 x — 12 17 0

Garden City — 0 0 0 0 0 0 x — 0 5 3

W: Peterson. L: Thayer