KCK Takes Round One, Garden Faces Elimination Saturday

Kansas City, KS (westernkansasnews.com) The Garden City Community College Baseball team and Kansas City, Kansas have a recent history playing each other in the region VI tournament.  Three years ago the Blue Devils scored a 12-8 win over Garden City in Wichita.  Last year Garden ended KCK’s season 7-2 behind Brendan Peitsmeyer’s complete game effort on the mound. 

In game one despite all they have been through in post-season play over the last several years,  the Blue Devils (39-18, 24-12) attempted to re-write history.

 Game Highlights

Kansas City, Kansas scored nine unanswered runs and run ruled Garden City (33-23, 18-14) in eight innings 13-3 sending the Broncbusters to the brink of elimination in the best of three opening round in region VI.

 It did not take long for KCK to grabbed the momentum.  The Blue Devils second batter of the game Tyler Pittman, clubbed his second homer of the season to left.  The solo blast off Garden City right handed starter Ryder Yakel (5-4) made it a 1-0 lead

Yakel allowed three two out RBI singles in the second when Pittman, Alex Phillips and Rorey Combs all knocked in run building up the lead to 4-0.

Kansas City leading 5-0 in the fifth scored four more making it a 9-0 lead when Blue Devils shortstop Albert Woodard brought in two with a double to leftcenter and a dropped fly ball from usually sure handed Billy Clark in right would eventually lead to two more unearned runs.

Meanwhile Jacob Purl (8-2) was in control of the game allowing just a one out double to Broncbuster leftfielder Clint Allen and single to shortstop Ty Lightley in the fifth. 

Garden eventually put a run on the board in the sixth on Allen’s Sac Fly,  they would add two more in the seventh on a bases loaded walk to Aeneas Roberson and Jesse Gonzales Sac Fly.  The Broncbusters could of added more, but failed to produce the hit they needed with the bases loaded.  Cam Bednar came on in relief to get the final three outs.  Purl ended the day giving up six hits and three earned runs, striking out six and walking three.

Brandon Green picked up the Blue Devil offense with a solo homer to left off Danny Weagle in the seventh making it 10-3.  Two more would score when Woodard tripled and came in one batter later on Lightley’s error at short and Combs two out single. 

Down 12-3 in the eighth,  A.J. Stephens issued a one out walk to Joshua Schmacher and Green followed with his second RBI tripling to right center and bringing in the run that made it 13-3 reaching the run rule in the eighth.

Post-game GCCC Coach Chris Finnegan

Kendrick Catron (4-4) goes to the mound for Garden City as the Broncbusters hope to force a decisive game three.  Pre-game show is 12:45, first pitch is at 1pm.  The game can be heard at westernkansasnews.com or on the KWKR app.