Home Runs Propel Buster Baseball to 3-1 Series Win Over Colby in Jayhawk West

Colby -Rocky Desantis’ two run homer in the top of the eighth sparked a scoring barrage that put the Busters up two games to one in the four game series against Colby. Game one was scheduled to go seven however, at the end of a scoreless seventh inning the game was tied at two. Two hole batter Zach Barton started the scoring barrage with a single followed by Desantis’ home run that put the score at 4-2. Alex Buechler was walked and Nolan Barrientos, (who homered in the top of the fifth) singled moving Buechler to third. Kaleb Zimmer came to the plate and after after a pickoff attempt Barrientos stole second. With runners at second and third Kaleb Zimmer singled the 2-2 pitch scoring Beuchler and Barrientos, making the score 6-2 Garden City. Colby made it close in the bottom inning. With two outs and bases loaded Duncan Izaaks RBI double brought the Trojans within one. Ace relief pitcher Colton Kibler was replaced by Garrett Bryant. Colby’s Daniel Bolte singled leaving runners on the corner. Ryan Ihle flew out to center fielder Mason Fischer to end the game 6-5 Busters. In Game four Garden City’s bats were still sizzling. In the top of the first leadoff batter Mason Fischer singled and Rocky Desantis doubled. With Fischer on third and Desantis on second, Alex Beuchler’s ground out RBI scored Fisher making the score 1-0. In the bottom one-two innings, Garden City would hold Colby scoreless. The Busters would again get their bats going in the top of the third. With one out Colby Pitcher David Johnson walked Tyler Alitz and Rocky Desantis. Buechler then came to the plate and singled, scoring Alitz to make the score 2-0. Nolan Barrientos was walked moving Desantis to third and Buechler to second. With bases loaded, Caleb Zimmer’s RBI single put Garden City up three runs. Kevin Czarnecki up next reached base due to an error and the error allowed Buechler and Barrientos to score. Czarnecki ended the inning with a failed attempt to steal second and Garden City led 5-0. Colby failed to score in the bottom of the third. In the top of the fourth Chris Lobato doubled and a sac bunt by Alitz moved Lobato to third. With one out Mason Fischer crushed pitcher David Johnson for a home run scoring Lobato and that would be all for Johnson and all the scoring the Busters would do for the day. Colby picked up two runs in the bottom four and sixth to come within three of Garden City, but it would not be enough as Colby drops games three and four.

Garden City’s 3-1 weekend moves them to 10-6 in the Jayhawk West and puts them two games back of five hundred overall at 16-18. Garden City hosts Cloud County Saturday and Sunday April sixth and seventh at Williams Stadium. Cloud County brings a 5-9 Jayhawk West record and a 14-16 overall record into Garden City. The Thunderbirds are currently in seventh place in the Jayhawk West.