Garden City beats Cloud County in series finale

By Mike Pilosof

Concordia, KS-After dropping the first three games of the series, Garden City salvaged the finale, getting some much-needed length from their starting pitching.

DJ Burke went six strong striking out seven, Miguel Ramos tied a season-high with three hits, and the Broncbusters topped Cloud County 7-4 in game four Saturday afternoon at Lee Doyen Field.

Ramos continued his strong weekend getting Garden City on the board with an RBI single in the first. Then, in the third, Ryan Muniz led off with a base hit, took second on an error, advanced to third on a wild pitch before coming around to score when Danny Spongberg laced a run-scoring single to center to make it 2-0.  

But again, the Broncbusters couldn't hold it.

In the seventh, Cloud County rallied back. Pinch hitter Jacob Shaw ripped a double to right, which was bobbled by Will Gardneer allowing Willie Ponce to score from second. Four batters later, Ian Riley tied the game with an RBI single to left.

Garden City responded in the eighth, scoring four runs-fueled by Ibrahim Rodriguez's double to right-center, and Nico Vite's hot shot to right that plated two. An inning later, Blake Beauchene pushed a two-out single past Williams Camacho-Soto at third that scored Ramos to make it 7-2.

Cloud County did put a bit of a scare into the Broncbuster bullpen in the ninth when Adler Pierson scored on a wild pitch, and Noah Olson hit a deep sacrifice fly. But Jake Gimbel finally slammed the door when he got Camacho-Soto to fly out to center to end the game.

Burke got the no decision in six innings, allowing eight hits while Raul Garcia improved to 3-0, tossing an inning of scoreless relief. Ramos went 3-for-4 at the plate, and Vite drove in a pair.

Conner Woods took the loss for the Thunderbirds, giving up three runs on three hits in 3.1 innings.