Reivers power past Broncbusters in game two

By Mike Pilosof

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

Garden City, KS-Iowa Western started slowly in Saturday's opener. But in game two, the Reivers had control from the start.

Nick Juaire continued his incredible day, going 3-for-4 at the plate, Nathan Berg drove in three runs, and the fourth-ranked Reivers took down Garden City 7-1. It was the Broncbusters fifth straight loss after opening the year 5-1.

Iowa Western made starter, Owen Mitchell, work early in this one. After the freshman worked a perfect 1-2-3 first, he ran into trouble in the second. He surrendered a leadoff single to Jevon Mason; then walked Henry Zipay with one out. Berg followed with a two-run single to left, and the Reivers were up 2-0. Mitchel though limited the damage by striking out Cyler Melvin and Aaron Gerdes to retire the side. But he ran into more trouble in the fourth. He surrendered a double to Juaire and a single to Berg. With runners at the corners, he struck out Melvin for the second out before yielding an RBI double to Gerdes. That's when Garden City Head Coach Chris Finnegan pulled the plug on Mitchell and replaced him with lefty Michael Thorne, who immediately gave up a bases-clearing triple to Cooper Bowman. Sam Riola followed with an RBI groundout, and Iowa Western had a commanding 6-0 advantage. They made it 7-0 in the fifth on Berg's sac fly to center.

The only offense the Broncbusters could muster came in the fifth. With the bases loaded and one out, Kyle Jameson pushed a run across when he grounded out to second. But the inning was wasted when Dakota Finley lined out to left. Garden City was held without a hit the rest of the way.

Jared Simpson earned his first win of the season for Iowa Western, allowing just one run on three hits in 4 2/3 innings. Jake Leger and Will Stevens followed with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Meantime Juaire finished the first two games of the series 5-for-8 at the plate.

The Broncbusters managed only three hits: a single by Tommy Alitz that ended a no-hitter in the fifth; another single by Turner McDonald two batters later and a base hit by Jake Barber, who didn't play vs. McCook earlier in the week because of injury. Mitchell dropped to 0-2 on the bump, allowing five runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Next up: Garden City vs. Iowa Western-Sunday, Feb. 16-1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. at Williams Stadium.