Buffs Can Not Hold Early Lead Fall 6-3 in Regional Tourney
Haysville, KS (westernkansasnews.com) The good times did not last for the Garden City High School Baseball team (5-16) as they drop their 6A regional opener to Wichita East (13-8) by the final score of 6-3 ending their season at Plagens-Carpenter Stadium.
Game Highlights
The Buffaloes had the start they were dreaming of scoring three runs in the first inning and knocking Blue Aces starting pitcher Mark Hartley from the game. Jacob Rivas reached on an error and then with one out was singled to third by sophomore third baseman Griffin Brunson. After a walk to Marcus Zapata loaded the bases, Eric Hieman had a bases loaded walk for a RBI and Miguel Sanchez brought in two with a single.
Hartley was relieved by Jake Ewart, a first team Wichita all-city selection, who was able to get Garden City catcher Addison DeHerrera to line into an unassisted double play at first. Sanchez was doubled off the bag ending the three run inning. Ewart would not allow another hit the rest of the game. Five Buffaloes reached three on walks and two on dropped fly balls in the outfield.
Ewart’s pitching gave East the opportunity to chip away at the lead against Garden City righthanded pitcher Colton Snodgrass. Ewart hit a smash past third base to start the bottom of the first and after a passed ball scored on leftfielder Lane Inskeep Sac-Fly.
The Blue Aces clawed to within one run in the bottom of the fifth on shortstop Sherwin Salim’s two out RBI double. Snodgrass who pitched well this season going 2-5 with a ERA above 3 always seem to encounter one tough inning. That inning unfortunately would be the sixth in Tuesday’s game.
As the cold rain started to come down, Riley Baker started with a single to left and advanced on a throwing error as the runner turned around first base. Hartley bunted in front of the plate. Catcher Addison DeHerrera hesitated by looking to third and then attempted to throw to first. The second baseman Eden Arreola was late in covering first and the throw drew him off the bag.
As the infield came in first baseman Andrew Dory hit a grounder to shortstop Dave Acker. DeHerrera attempted to lay on the tag of a sliding in Baker. On the slide the ball was kicked out of DeHerrera’s glove. DeHerrera retrieved and threw back home where Hartley came in to score as Snodgrass dropped the throw in trying to swipe the tag back down. East added a couple of insurance runs both with two outs on Lane Inskeep’s RBI single to left and Sherwin Salim’s run scoring single to center.
Snodgrass finished the day for Garden City going 6 2/3 innings and allowing six runs, only two earned while walking one and striking out three. Daven Acker retired the only batter he faced for Garden City in ending the four run sixth.
The Buffaloes were involved in a lot of close games to end their season, but they took a step backwards in 2015 going 5-16 after finishing 8-13 in 2014. Wichita East will play the winner of Hutch/Haysville Campus Wednesday at 4. The second game on Tuesday was rained out.
