Broncbusters blank Pratt in series opener

By Mike Pilosof

Pratt, KS-Garden City is on a major role. Monday further proved that.

Tara Reid was dominant again striking out a season-high 10 batters, Nya Chacon and McKayla Encinias each went yard, and the Broncbusters blanked Pratt 5-0 at Lemon Park.

Garden City jumped out to an early lead courtesy of Carly Powley's sacrifice fly in the first that plated Elycia Johnson. It stayed that way until the third when Powley doubled home a run to make it 2-0. She added another sac fly in the fourth that stretched it to a three-run advantage.

But the real damage came in the Garden City seventh. Encinias led off with an inside-the-park home run, Chacon followed three batters later with a solo blast left, and Garden City was up 5-0.

Reid, the reigning Jayhawk Conference pitcher of the week, was sharp. She worked around a two-out single in the first by striking out three batters. She added two more punchouts in the second and at one point retired eight straight Beaver hitters. She limited Pratt to just three hits, grabbing her 11^th win of the season.

Johnson finished 4-for-4 at the dish for Garden City, and Lacey Kearsley was 2-for-4. Powley knocked in two runs.