Errors Plague Broncbusters; Fall Out of First Place
El Dorado, KS (westernkansasnews.com) GCCC Baseball Coach Chris Finnegan warned his team it could be a bloodbath this weekend at Butler if his team did not improved their defense. The first loss was unfortunate. The second was a disaster.
The Broncbusters (21-12, 11-7) had a combined 11 errors over the two games losing 4-2 and 13-3 to Butler (18-12, 10-4) in a run rule shortened seven innings. The Grizzlies sweep pushed Garden City one game down in the Jayhawk West. Butler is tied for first with Dodge City who split their first two games at Barton.
Game One Highlights
A pair of undefeated pitchers took the mound in the first game. Garden City’s JJ Benes looked to improved his record to 6-0 and Butler’s Corbin Osburn a transfer from Pratt was looking to go 7-0. It looked good early for Garden City.
Broncbuster second baseman Ted Ramirez with one out in the first homered off Osburn. The solo shot to left was Ramirez’s third homer of the year and gave Garden City a 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, Garden City began to show what would plague them all day long. With Alex Weiss at first for Butler, Bryant Kluesner single up the middle and an error by centerfielder Brooks Benson fielding the ball in the outfield brought in Weiss to tie the game at 1-1. Benes recovered making the next two outs in order, stranding Kluesner at third.
Garden City’s Mason Brown also went deep in the fourth for his first collegiate homer. The solo blast gave the Broncbusters a 2-1 lead. Brown who played hero after the homer would fall victim to a drop flyball in the middle of the rightfield warning track . The fifth inning error would be one of three that inning as eight men came up to the plate against Benes. Zach Baker provided the big blow with a two run single and the Grizzlies won 4-2.
Game Two Highlights
Garden City struck first in the second game too. Brown had a two run single off Butler starter Austin Dubsky (4-3). Brooks Benson finished off the scoring with an infield single past the third baseman Alex Weiss making it 3-0 Broncbusters.
Dubsky finished with a complete game and allowed just five singles and struck out six through the rest of his time on the mound. Butler’s offense was finally able to get in gear during the fourth thanks to a little help from Garden City’s shaky defense.
After an unearned run trimmed Garden City’s lead to 3-1, the Grizzlies batted around in the fourth sending 10 men to the plate and scored six to take firm control of the game.
Alex Weiss and Bryant Kluesner started with back to back singles off Dalton Shalberg. Ty Redington’s single and error when Patrick Mixon overran the ball in left scored the second run of the inning and tied the game at 3. Jake Huscroft’s ball was booted at second by Ted Ramirez. Zach Baker struck out against the new reliever Brendan Peitsmeyer and Cory Slater’s fly ball to center was misplayed by Benson. Benson hesitate and a routine pop up dropped in front of him allowing two runs on the play giving the Grizzlies a 7-3. Butler added Redington’s third homer of the year a solo shot and five more in the seventh thanks to three more Garden City errors and the game ended in a run rule 13-3 Grizzlies in seven innings.
Garden City were victims of their defense and the Broncbusters had three multiple error innings in game two. In those three innings, Garden City committed 12 runs.
The Broncbusters go back to the drawing board on Sunday when they play Butler for games three and four of the series. First pitch is 1pm, pre-game begins at 12:45 on westernkansasnews.com.
