Broncbuster offense with a big-time answer; split with Trinidad State

Trinidad, CO-The Broncbuster offense had a resounding answer on Thursday.  

After losing their opener to Trinidad State 5-1, Becky Gundy's team bounced back with a 13-4 rout in game two.

The opener saw Garden City (11-11, 1-3) strike first on Ariel Denny's solo shot in the top of the first. After that, Marissa Montiel shutdown the Trinidad State attack over the next three innings. But in the fourth, Rachel Duran hit a two-run double before coming around to score on Angel Jimenez's error at first to put the Trojans up 3-1.

Trinidad State (13-15, 5-5) answered with two more in the top of fifth thanks to an RBI single by Breelyn Craig and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Avery Bohn.

Garden City threatened in the seventh, loading the bases and bringing the tying run to the plate with only one out. But the rally ended when Jimenez flew out to center and Micaela Martinez popped out to second.

Teddi Garcia improved to 9-4 in the circle for Trinidad State, allowing one run on eight hits while striking out seven. Her counterpart Montiel dropped to 0-2, giving up four runs on eight hits in four innings. Denney pitched two innings of relief and surrendered just one run on two hits.

Game two was a totally different story.

Gundy changed up her lineup, putting Hannah Adams in the leadoff spot, sliding Erica Vessels to third in the order and inserting Jessy Ortiz into the nine hole. The moves paid huge dividends.

Denny's RBI triple in the first gave Garden City a 1-0 lead. In the second, Alyssa Dilley pushed Taylore Hartman across with a perfect drag bunt down the third-base line. Three batters later, Vessels ripped a two-run single to center giving the Broncbusters a four-run cushion.

An inning later, Garden City plated two more thanks to Katie Glaze's error at short that made it 6-0.

Glaze atoned for her mistake in the bottom of the third when she doubled home a run to cut the Broncbusters lead to 6-1. But Garden City pounced on relievers Avelleka Arviso and Ashley Thomas, scoring two more in the fourth before Ortiz's double in the sixth gave them a 9-4 advantage. Hartman added a sac fly in the seventh, which was followed up with Ortiz's two-run double to center that gave the road team a nine-run lead.

Samantha Akers was superb, allowing just two earned runs in seven innings while striking out seven. She improved to 4-2.

Next up: Garden City vs. Pratt-Saturday, March 17 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.