Broncbusters walk it off vs. New Mexico Military

By Mike Pilosof

Photos by Adam Shrimplin

Albuquerque, NM-So far this season, Garden City has proven they can win in many different ways.

Corbin Truslow collected two hits, including the game-winning double to centerfield in the seventh, and the Broncbusters beat New Mexico Military 7-6 to improve to 9-1.

The day started out rather inauspiciously for Chris Finnegan's team.

The Broncos jumped on starter Connery O'Donnell in the first, tagging him for two runs: a Gabriel Torres' RBI double and a run-scoring single by Cedric Reynaud.

The score stayed that way until the fourth when Julian Galindo's sacrifice fly made it 3-0.

The Broncbusters finally answered in the bottom half. Alec Eskenazi ripped a two-run triple before crossing home plate when Tyler Hardwick's curve ball bounced past Reynaud to tie the game at 3. Two innings later, Garden City took what appeared to be a comfortable lead, plating three runs, including Chris Lara's bases-clearing triple that put the road squad up 6-3.

But with one last chance, and down to his final strike, Broncos' shortstop Paulo Rodriguez crushed Jordan Yates' 2-2 fastball over the centerfield wall for a three-run homer that tied the game. Johnnie Nemecek followed with a single, and Torres drove a base hit to center. But as he tried to leg out a double, Eskenazi gunned him down at second base.

That setup Truslow's heroics in the bottom of the seventh.

Sean Klein led off the frame with a walk; then took second on a passed ball. As Truslow dug in, pitcher David Chavez made a costly mistake, leaving a fastball in the zone, which Truslow smoked to center for a walk-off double.

Yates picked up the win in relief for the Broncbusters, yielding two runs on three hits in one inning. O'Donnell started the game, giving up three runs on seven hits in 3.1. He walked three and struck out three.

Chavez took the loss for New Mexico Military, allowing four runs on three hits in one inning while throwing 34 pitches.