Iowa Western rolls to win in game three

By Mike Pilosof

Garden City, KS-If nothing else, Iowa Western has started the season where they left off: in last year's National Championship Game. And to say Chris Finnegan's team won't see a squad quite like the Reivers the rest of the way, is not an exaggeration.

Tanner Kohlhepp struck out eight in five masterful innings, Jevon Mason went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI, and No. 4 Iowa Western run-ruled Garden City 12-2 in five innings Sunday afternoon at Williams Stadium. It was the Broncbusters sixth straight loss.

After scoring 19 runs in their two victories on Saturday, the Reivers showed no signs of letting up on Sunday. Iowa Western jumped all over starter Raul Garcia, scoring three in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by Mason, an RBI groundout by Derek Shoen and a run-scoring single by Jaden Rolffs. An inning later, Shoen produced two more runs when Kyle Jameson misplayed a high chopper at short. Rolffs followed with an RBI base hit, Jacob Shamban smoked a ball to left, Cooper Bowman drew a bases-loaded walk, and Nick Juaire hit a sac fly that made it 10-0.

Meantime, Garden City scratched out just three hits. Their only runs came in the third on a Jake Barber RBI single in the third and a run-scoring ground out by Darrian Escobar-Winter in the fifth. Other than that, Kohlepp held them in check, holding Garden City without a hit until the third when Jean Barreto smacked a double to center.

Then in the fourth, Iowa Western extended the lead. Ibrahim Rodriguez bobbled Sam Riola's slow roller at third, allowing Bowman to score. The next batter, Juaire, drew a five-pitch walk, and Mason followed with an RBI single to left.

Seven of the nine Reiver batters recorded a hit with Mason and Rolffs combining to go 4-for-6 with four RBI in the middle of the order.

Garcia lost his first game of the season for Garden City, allowing 10 runs on eight hits in two innings. Wilberth Ortiz pitched two frames of relief, allowing just one hit, and Nayton Agosto worked the fifth, surrendering two runs on one hit.