Buffalo baseball splits with Liberal

GARDEN CITY, Kan. — The Garden City High School baseball team was unable to make up ground in the Western Athletics Conference on Tuesday evening at Clint Lightner Field, earning another split against a WAC opponent. Garden City stole the first game from Liberal  5-4 but dropped the second game 6-2.

Liberal took an early lead scoring one run apiece in the first and third innings, while holding Garden CIty scoreless in the first three frames. The Buffalo offense came alive in the fourth inning on a Rawley Davidson two-RBI triple that tied the game at 2-2.

Both teams traded a run in the 5th inning and would go into the top of the seventh tied at 3-3. Liberal scored a run off of a double to take the 4-3 lead going into the final offensive chance for the Buffaloes. After a strikeout, Garden City’s Auston Waetzig and Easton Lager each walked leaving two on for Aaron Urrutia who hit a line drive to center field to score two runs and win the game for Garden City.

Garden City had six singles and two triples to make up their eight hits in the game. Ethan Newberry picked up the win going 4.1 innings, allowing five hits and 3 runs while striking out three and walking six. Liberal’s Kye Purdy gets the loss in game 1, allowing two walks and two runs in 1.1 innings.

The second game would be more of a struggle for Garden City offensively. Both teams went scoreless in the first inning but Liberal brought in two runs in the top of the second. Garden City would answer with a run each in the bottom of the second and third innings to go into the fourth inning tied at 2-2.

Liberal would bring across three runs in the top of the 5th and hold Garden City scoreless over the final four innings thanks to a strong bullpen performance for the Redskins. The Buffaloes would fall 6-2.

The Redskin’s Dylan Thompson finished the game 2-3 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBI’s. Liberal’s Javier Bojoquez picks up the win in relief going three innings and striking out five. Elier Arreola gets credited for the loss for Garden City giving up nine hits and six runs (only two of those earned) in 6.2 innings.

Garden City moves to 7-4 on the season and will host Colby on Thursday afternoon at Clint Lightner Field. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. Liberal moves to 7-3 on the year.

Game 1

Liberal — 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 — 4 5 4

Garden City — 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 — 5 6 1

W: Newberry. L: Purdy

Game 2

Liberal — 0 2 0 1 3 0 0 — 6 9 2

Garden City — 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 — 2 7 3

W: Bojoquez. L: Arreola