Busters Earn Doubleheader Split at Butler
El Dorado, KS (westernkansasnews.com) Saturday was a defensive nightmare for Garden City after committing 11 errors to lose both games of a doubleheader at Butler 4-2 and 13-3. Sunday the defense played better, had only three errors and the Broncbusters earned a split of the two games, losing the first game 13-8, but winning the final game 3-1.
Game One Highlights
Sunday in game one, Garden City took advantage of a leadoff walk from Butler starting pitcher Hayden Crowe to take the early lead. Kyle Lopez knocked in Alvarez for his first hit of the series in seven at-bats and the Broncbusters led 1-0. After tying up the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first an unusual play gave Garden City a 2 run lead in the second.
With Easton Palmer and Trifton Tartarin at 3rd and 2nd , Crowe threw a wild pitch that bounded high up the screen. Palmer was in easily, but catcher Cameron Knight could not spot the ball and Tartarin did not break stride in scoring the second run on the same wild pitch. Garden City added two more runs in the third on a RBI single from Kyle Lopez and run scoring double from Palmer. The 5-1 lead was the largest Garden City had in the entire series.
Just like every game this weekend Garden City scored first, but Butler always answered with a bigger inning. Down 5-1 in the third Alex Weiss blasted a three run homer over the right field wall to make it 5-4. Two batters later, Cameron Knight a signee with Arkansas Little-Rock connected on a solo shot and starter Noah Draper was knocked out of the game.
Stephen Pagendarm relieved and allowed back to back singles and a stolen base from Luke Reynolds. Channing Williams singles brought in the go ahead run. Butler scored five times in the third to take a short lived 6-5 lead.
Garden City this time provided the answer in the fourth when Lopez’s infield single scored Ted Ramirez. For Lopez it was his third RBI of the game. Butler unfortunately broke it open off Broncbuster reliever Tyler Franek(L 0-2). First baseman Cory Slater drove in Jake Huscroft to make it 7-6. Butler scored 4 times in the fifth on Ty Redington’s two run single and Weiss’ two run double. Weiss had five RBI’s in the first game.
Redington stretch out the lead to 13-6 with a two run homer, his second of the weekend pushed with the wind to right off GCCC reliever Phillip Muldrow. Ramirez added his second homer of the series to the leftfield corner in the 7th, but that was all Garden City could muster in the 13-8 loss. Grizzlies reliever Austin Weiser of Dodge City scattered six hits and three runs, two earned over 4 1/3 innings and improved to 2-3.
Game two Garden City for the fourth time in the series scored the first run. The only difference is they held it this time. Jake Tyrkoski doubled to begin the inning, advanced to third on Cooper Bowermaster’s single and scored on the same play where Angelo Perez reached on the error from shortstop Zach Baker. Gibson Russ lasted five innings for Butler and suffered his first loss of the season (0-1) surrending four hits and one run, while walking two and striking out three.
The one run is all Garden City needed to give right handed starting pitcher Tony Yacovetta (W 2-1). The sophomore who has signed on with New Mexico State threw seven innings and allowed seven singles, while striking out four and walking one. Butler’s best opportunity to score off Yacovetta came in the fourth when with the bases loaded and two outs Williams hit a ground up the middle that second baseman Ted Ramirez fielded and made a rolling tag in the baseline to get Alex Forge’t before he reached second.
Closer Marcus McKinney made up for lost time after not working in a week, by striking out five for his seventh save of the year. McKinney served up Weiss’ second homer of the weekend and third of the year on a solo blast to begin the ninth inning.
Garden City added insurance by scoring on a wild pitch and fielder’s choice in the ninth giving McKinney the needed cushion to make his one ninth inning mistake on Weiss homer.
For all that went wrong for Garden City (22-13, 12-8) in El Dorado the Broncbusters enter play next Friday only trailing Butler (19-13, 11-5) by one game for the division lead and are in a second place tie with Dodge City. Garden City will host Lamar Wednesday at 3 and jump back into conference play next Friday when they begin a four game series with Barton at Williams Stadium. Coverage of Wednesday’s game begins at 2:45 on westernkansasnews.com.
GCCC Coach Chris Finnegan’s Post-game
