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Busters and Trojans split again
Published 4/21/2009 in Sports : GCCC
By MIKE KESSINGER
COLBY — At the end of the Jayhawk Conference Western Division four-game series between Garden City Community College and Colby on Monday, one thing remained the same as before the series started on Sunday — both teams are still on top in the standings. The Broncbusters did have a chance to move ahead, but let a lead in the first game slip away as Colby came away with an 8-7 win in nine innings. Garden City redeemed itself by picking apart the Trojans in the nightcap, 15-5.
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Trent Rose/Colby Community College Sports Information — Garden City Community College starting pitcher Erik Mattingly throws against Colby in Game 1 Monday. The Broncbusters split their second doubleheader against Colby.
"(GCCC) took the loss in Game 1 very personal," Broncbusters coach Chris Finnegan said. "It was something they knew they should have won. They had their opportunities and they let it slip away. A couple calls didn't go our way, but it's part of the game."
The Busters built a four-run lead in the middle of the sixth when Luke Kordsmeier and Cass Via each had an RBI single and Ben Warner scored Kordsmeier on a sacrifice fly. Kordsmeier's run would be Garden City's final score in a series that had two close games and the other two dominated by one or the other.
Colby (33-16, 18-10) responded to the Busters three-run half of the sixth with three of its own. All three runs coming on a home run blast by Artiz Garica off Garden City starter Erik Mattingly.
The Trojans forced the game into extra innings in the seventh as Scott Hornstra went home when Busters' reliever Heath Wyatt was called for a balk. It was the Trojans second run off a balk as Mattingly was called for one in the third. Neither team was able to score in the eighth, and after the Busters failed to score Sloan Soulia, who led off the ninth with a single, Colby took advantage. Jaret Chatwood led off the Trojans ninth with a double and after an intentional walk to Hornstra, Wyatt struck out Weston Lewis. The game-winner came on a hard line to left field by Eric Sim as Chatwood, who had started at second, rounded third and slid safely into home under Soulia's tag on a throw from left fielder Brian Chritz.
"We're a pretty resilient group and the guys have a lot of heart and they play hard," Colby coach Ryan Carter said. "You know they're not going to go down without a fight."
Wyatt (2-2) took the loss as he worked the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up one earned run on two hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Mattingly started by going 5 2/3 innings, and he gave up six runs on 10 hits and four strikeouts.
Via led the Busters offense with three hits and three RBIs.
After watching the entire Trojans' team celebrate at home plate at the end of game, a frustrated Garden City team prepared itself for the finale. The Busters (35-15, 18-10) went with sophomore left-hander Kyle Oestereicher on the mound.
"Coming into (the second game) I knew we were going to put up a lot of runs," Oestereicher said. "I've had a lot of run support all year. There is that little bit of pressure with (Colby) and conference is on the line. They're a great team, great hitting team. If we don't win this game its a possibility our chances are done. But I knew our team would come in and put up quite a few runs."
The Busters did just that, leading from the first inning when Via went home on an errant throw to second in an attempt to pick off Cody Schramm. Colby cut a three-run deficit in the third to 5-4 on an RBI double by Sim that scored two runs off Oestereicher.
In the fifth, Garden City dropped seven runs on Colby, highlighted by a Kordsmeier grand slam over the center field fence. The Busters finished with six hits in the inning.
"As a pitcher you always love the big innings," Oestereicher said. "It gives you a lot of support, but at the same time it's kind of frustrating having to sit there for a while."
As the Garden City runs started to mount in the fifth, Oestereicher went down to the bullpen to warm his arm up again. When he re-entered he gave up just one hit in the fifth, then didn't allow another run until Hornstra stroked a one-run single in the seventh with two outs.
Oestereicher (7-1) picked up the win going the distance. He gave up seven hits, with three strikeouts and three walks.
Via, Schramm and Kordsmeier each had four hits. Kordsmeier finished with an impressive five RBIs. The Busters finished the game with three home runs as Soulia had a solo shot in the third, and Warner had a two-run shot in the seventh.
Garden City and Colby will enter the final weekend tied with Hutchinson, again. The Blue Dragons bounced back from a first-day sweep by Seward County, to pick up a pair of 7-3 wins against the Saints on Monday.
Game 1
Colby 8, GCCC 7 (9 Innings)
| GCCC | 210 | 103 | 000 | — 7 | 12 | 3 |
| Colby | 101 | 013 | 101 | -- 8 | 12 | 1 |
Mattingly, Wyatt (6) and Soulia; Greve, Edwards (6), Hornstra (7) and Sim. W -- Hornstra. L -- Wyatt (2-2). 2B -- Colby, Chatwood (2). HR -- GCCC, Gillman; Colby, Garcia.
Game 2
GCCC 15, Colby 5
| GCCC | 131 | 071 | 2 | -- 15 | 18 | 1 |
| Colby | 022 | 000 | 1 | -- 5 | 7 | 1 |
Oestereicher and Gillman; Westover, Campbell (5), Edwards (5), Beecroft (6), Bean (7) and Sim. W -- Oestereicher (7-1). L -- Westover. 2B -- Colby, Chatwood, Sim. HR -- GCCC, Soulia, Warner, Kordsmeier; Colby, Ziegler.
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