Broncbusters let late lead slip away; fall to McCook in game one

By Mike Pilosof

Garden City, KS-How good has Tara Reid been this season? Well consider heading into Tuesday's non-conference showdown with McCook, the freshman right hander had won seven straight starts and led the Jayhawk Conference with 10 victories in the circle. So, to see any blemish on her resume was almost jaw dropping. But then again, all it proved was that Reid was human after all.

The Colorado-native was sharp again holding a 4-2 lead going into the fifth before the Indians rallied, handing Reid just her third loss of the season, 6-4 at Tangeman Sports Complex.  

After allowing an RBI double to Rae VanMilligan in the first, Reid helped out her own cause in the bottom half. Following Carly Powley's run-scoring double that tied it, Reid pushed a run across with an RBI groundout to put Garden City in front. That set the table for McKayla Encinias, who in the second inning connected on a two-run shot that gave the Broncbusters a 4-2 advantage.

But McCook slowly chipped away, and in the fourth, Ashland Baca led off the frame with a line-drive homer to center. Then, in the fifth, the Indians put together three straight singles to load the bases against Reid. That's when Elycia Johnson bobbled a ground ball that allowed a run to score. Two batters later, Kristen Morgan's RBI groundout tied the game at 4.

In the sixth, a rare miscue by Encinias, who cut across the infield to try and snag a groundball put the leadoff batter on. Moments later, Alexis Cortez smoked a single past Nya Chacon at short, plating two runs and giving McCook a 6-4 advantage.

The Broncbusters produced just one baserunner over the final two innings.

Encinias mashed her 12^th homer of the season for Garden City, which lost for just the second time in its last 10 games, while Reid was tagged for six runs on nine hits over seven innings.