Grizzlies edge Broncbusters in extras in game three
| Final (8) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 1 |
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3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 15 | 1 |
El Dorado, KS-Brock Toothaker homered, Alan Benhardt had three hits including the game-winning single in the eighth, and Butler edged Garden City, 10-9 Saturday afternoon at McDonald Stadium. The Broncbusters dropped to 7-31 overall and 3-16 in conference.
Garden City starter Kaden Shirley was roughed up, allowing six runs on 10 hits in four innings. He yielded three in the first which started with Josh Holmes leadoff double. Justin Hudson added an RBI groundout before Brock Lummus and Brock Kuehler followed with run-scoring base hits.
After the Broncbusters scored a run in the top of the second, Hudson came through again for the Grizzlies in the bottom half, lacing a line-drive single to left that scored Holmes.
Nick Barber though answered the bell in the third for Garden City, hammering a William Humphrey fastball over the wall in left for a solo home run. But Toothaker responded with a long ball to leadoff the Grizzly half and Holmes pounded an RBI double down the left-field line for a 6-2 Butler lead.
Garden City crawled back in the game with a three-run fifth aided by Barber's second RBI of the day. But the Grizzlies countered each time, and in the bottom of the frame, Benhardt looped a breaking ball deep enough to left that allowed Holmes to trot home from third to make it 7-5.
The Broncbusters evened things up in the sixth thanks to Brett Barber's two-out, two-run single to right-center; then took the lead when Conner Thompson sprinted home on a wild pitch.
But as has been the case all season, the bullpen couldn't hold it.
With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, Levi Tucker replaced Gunner Nartker. But he immediately plunked Toothaker with a fastball, allowing Hayden Dyer to score the tying run.
After Garden City again took the lead in the eighth on Konner Hatfield's RBI single, the Grizzlies ended things when it was their turn. Cole Murrell's base hit tied the game before Benhardt ripped a Taylor Dooley's slider right back up the middle for the game winner.
Tate Rico notched the win for Butler, allowing one run on one hit in one inning of relief. Humprey was tagged for four earned runs on five hits in 4 1/3.