Broncbusters sweep Frank Phillips

By Mike Pilosof

Garden City, KS-One thing was clear on Monday: The Broncbusters absolutely overwhelmed Frank Phillips.

The final box score doesn't even do it justice.

Devin Hernandez collected four hits, Angel Jimenez, Micaela Martinez and Erica Vessels hit the ball out of the yard, and Garden City thrashed Frank Phillips 13-4 and 18-5 Monday afternoon at Tangemen Sports Complex.

After Samantha Akers gave up an RBI single in the top of the first in game one, the Broncbuster offense came to life in their first crack. Ariel Denney ripped an RBI double, Martinez singled home one before Jimenez capped the frame with a two-out, two RBI double that gave Garden City a 4-1 cushion.

The Broncbusters made it 5-1 in the second when Hernandez scored on Hannah Hall's error at third, and after the Lady Plainsmen got two back in the third to cut the Garden City lead to one, Martinez answered resoundingly in the bottom half when she led off the inning with a masterful solo shot, Vessels stole home, and Garden City bumped their lead to 7-3.

Akers surrendered just one more run in the top of the fourth when Ciara Riendeau singled home Aurora Luera to slice the Broncbusters lead to 7-4. But Hartman answered a half-inning later with an RBI double before scoring on a Frank Phillips' miscue, Jimenez mashed a leadoff homer in the fifth, which was coupled by another error on the Plainsmen, and Martinez finished off the run-rule with a two-run single. The sophomore drove in four runs in game one, and Jimenez knocked in three.

Akers improved to 4-1 in the circle, allowing four runs on eight hits in a complete game where she threw 99 pitches. She struck out five and walked three.

The losing pitcher was Anndrea Cortez, who gave up nine runs on seven hits in four innings.

Game two was more of an offensive show for Becky Gundy's team.

The Broncbusters slugged out 14 hits and used back-to-back run-scoring doubles in the first by Denney and Hartman to jump out to a 2-0 edge. After the Plainsmen tied it at 2 in the top of the second, Garden City went to work in the bottom half, plating four, fueled by Denney's two-run triple.

Then came the avalanche in the third.

Mackenzie Collins doubled home two, Hartman hit a sacrifice fly, Martinez hit an RBI double, and Vessels crushed a three-run homer to make it 13-2.

The Broncbusters added five more in the fourth thanks to Martinez and Hernandez, who each mashed two-run doubles.

Bailey Brawner surrendered three runs in the top of the fifth, but got Kymbree Ovalie to bounce into a force to complete a second-straight run-rule victory.

Brawner picked up her first win of the season, giving up five runs on 10 hits in five innings. Denney finished 2-for-4 at the dish with four RBIs, and Martinez and Vessels each knocked in three.

Next up: Garden City vs. Northwest Tech-Wednesday, Feb. 28-1 p.m. and 3 p.m.