Garden City drops series finale to Northeastern

By Mike Pilosof

Sterling, CO-After slugging out nine runs on 14 hits in Saturday's opener, the Broncbuster bats went quiet at the most inopportune times.    

Stacy Bott hit her third homer of the day, Natalie Fosdick knocked in two runs, and Northeastern toppled Garden City 7-3 at Mason Field.

Broncbuster starter Audrey Graf was in trouble from the start. She gave up a walk and a single to begin the first before surrendering an RBI groundout to Fosdick. Moments later, Kalani Hikida, who homered twice in the opener, scored on a passed ball to put the Plainsmen up 2-0.

In the bottom of the second, Graf found herself in some more hot water after giving up a one-out walk and a single to Carly Rafferty. After striking out Tristan Pope, Northeastern scored a run on an error by catcher, Carley Powley to make it 3-0. That lead swelled to six runs when Fosdick and Bott hit back-to-back solo jacks off Graf and Megan Walz to begin the third. That was followed up by Walz's error in the circle that allowed Danielle Woolsey to score from third.

Garden City fought back in the fifth. Powley doubled, and Kaylee Rogers brought her around on a single to left. After the Plainsmen scratched out another run in their half, the Broncbusters plated two more in the sixth on Walz's RBI single and Rogers run-scoring base hit that cut the deficit to four, 7-3. But that rally was short circuited when Ellie Walters grounded out to short. Garden City then went in order in the seventh.

Graf lasted only two innings for Garden City, allowing four runs on three hits while walking three. Walz recorded only one out in relief before giving way to Taylor Hill, who showed plenty of promise in 3 2/2 innings of work. The freshman allowed just one run on four hits. She fanned two.

Bott picked up the win in the circle for Northeastern, going the distance. She gave up three runs on nine hits.

Next up: Garden City vs. Trinidad State-Wednesday, Feb. 19-12 pm and 2 pm at Tangeman Sports Complex