Miscues cost Broncbusters in game one vs. Pratt

Garden City, KS-Trenton Smith struck out eight, Miles Hartman drove in two, and Pratt beat Garden City, 6-3 in Thursday's series opener at Williams Stadium. It was the Broncbusters third straight loss and seventh in their last eight games. 

Gunnar Nartker fell to 0-3, giving up five runs on two hits in three innings. He struck out four and walked four. Behind him, the Broncbusters committed three more errors. 

Smith was overpowering for the most part, scattering five hits and allowing just two runs in six innings for Pratt, which improved to 14-15 overall and 3-6 in the Jayhawk.  

The Beavers did most of their damage in the first and third innings. Nartker plunked Tyler Gates and Jacob Trombley to begin the game before Marcelo Aguirre's RBI groundout put Pratt on the board. Trombley then came around on a double steal attempt to give the visitors a two-run cushion. 

In the third, Michael Acosta singled home a run, and Hartman ripped a two-run double to right-center for a 5-0 advantage. 

Garden City answered with a pair of runs in the third, which included Kaelen Bing's double to right that plated Konner Hatfield. But with a chance to extend the inning, Alvarez lined out to Acosta in center. 

The Beavers added some insurance in the sixth when Kurisu Ueta issued a bases-loaded walk to Garryn Plummer to make it 6-2. 

Caleb Cox's team though did give themselves a chance in the seventh. Hatfield and Gundelfinger stroked back-to-back singles, and Bing drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Hatfield then sprinted around third when Zach Watts' breaking ball skipped away from the catcher Plummer. But with the tying run at the plate, Alvarez struck out looking on a backdoor slider.