Broncbusters score early; fall late to Barton

By Mike Pilosof

Garden City, KS-Audrey Graf's two homer game vs. Barton on Friday appeared to be the start of a special afternoon for Garden City.

Instead, the Cougars rallied two innings later, using their own power to put away the Broncbusters.

Jaelyn Carter drove in four runs, Barton smashed five long balls, and Barton beat Garden City 13-3 Friday afternoon at Tangeman Sports Complex.

The Broncbusters' offensive jolt came with two outs in the bottom of the first. Down 0-2 in the count, Graf used an undercut swing and wacked a fast ball over the center-field fence for a 1-0 advantage.

Barton though responded in the third. With two on and one out, Carter scorched a two-run double to center to put the Cougars in front. An inning later, Demi Kunkel blasted a two-run homer off of Ariel Denney, and just like that, the Broncbusters were in a three-run hole.

Graf got Garden City back in the game in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff home run. Then in the fifth, Kaylee Rogers smoked a two-out, line drive, RBI single to center, making it a one-run game. But that's as close as the Broncbusters got the rest of the way. Alexis Sharples clubbed a home run an inning later for Barton, Kunkel hit her second round tripper later in the sixth, and Carter followed with a two-run blast to center to put the Cougars up 13-3.

The five home runs were a new season high for Barton, who won for the ninth time in their last 10 games. Tia Kohl picked up the win in the circle, giving up three runs on five hits in 4.1 innings.

The loss overshadowed Graf's great day, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate with two homers, two RBI and two runs scored for the Broncbusters. Denney took the loss, surrendering seven runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings.