Garden City blows late lead; drops game four to Hutch

By Mike Pilosof

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

Hutchinson, KS-For 5 ½ innings in Saturday's series finale, Garden City was well on their way to a split with Hutchinson. But the bullpen couldn't finish the job.

Jack Torosian collected two hits including the go-ahead two run-triple in the sixth, giving the Blue Dragons a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the Broncbusters. It was Garden City's seventh loss in their nine games dropping them to 7-16-1 overall and 1-3 in conference.

Everything was aligned for Chris Finnegan's team thanks in large part to starter George Hettrick, who provided the veteran skipper with 4 2/3 solid innings. He scattered four hits and struck out five, leaving the game with a 2-1 advantage. 

In the sixth, the Broncbusters provided their bullpen a couple of insurance runs. Joe Finder scored after Hunter Gotreaux booted a ball at second, and Konner Hatfield came around when Kaden Wickersham bounced a curveball in the dirt that skipped to the backstop to make it 4-1. 

But the Blue Dragons put together some two-out magic in their half. Back-to-back singles followed by a Ryan Muniz error at second loaded the bases. That setup Bryce Logan, who slapped a two-run single to left to pull the home team within one. The very next batter Torosian, tripled in two to put Hutchinson in front.

In the seventh, Garden City put the tying and go-ahead runs on when Muniz and Sage McMinn walked. But Quinn Gundelfinger got on top of a Noah Kelley fastball and grounded out to third to end the game.

Wickersham picked up his first win of the season, allowing two runs on one hit in three innings of relief for Hutchinson. Kelley notched his first save of the year.

Garcia dropped to 1-3, surrendering four runs on four hits in one inning for Garden City.

Next up: Garden City vs. Otero-Tuesday, March 22 1 p.m.