Comeback kids do it again

By Mike Pilosof

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

Sterling, CO-One big inning is all Garden City needed.

McKayla Encinias blasted her first homer of the season during a seven-run third, Madison Biller went the distance in the circle, and the Broncbusters beat Northeastern 12-6 in game one Friday afternoon at Mason Field.

So far in the early part of the season, Becky Gundy's team has flourished playing from behind. This game was no exception.

Two days after climbing out of a 9-0 hole vs. Lamar, the Broncbusters found themselves in a similar situation on the road. The Plainsmen attacked Biller early, and  Stacy Bott's three-run, first-inning homer had Northeastern out in front. An offensive interference call and an RBI fielder's choice in the second stretched the lead to 5-0.

That's when Garden City found their groove.

In the Broncbusters' third, the first six batters reached, including Encinias, who blasted the first pitch she saw from Abby Harpman over the left-field wall, slicing the deficit to 5-3. Biller added a run-scoring single, Megan Waltz plated one on an RBI groundout, and Vivian Lopez singled Carley Powley home to make it 6-5. Then Encinias struck again, drawing a bases-loaded walk to put Garden City in front 7-5.

The Broncbusters blew the game open in the sixth. Walz grounded into an RBI fielder's choice, Powley singled one home, and Lopez powered an RBI double to the gap in left. Garden City added one more in the seventh.

Biller shook off a slow start, fanning three in seven innings. She threw 135 pitches. Encinias drove in four runs, and Audrey Gray went 3-for-3 at the plate.

Harpman took the loss for Northeastern, giving up seven runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. She walked three.