By MIKE KESSINGER

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mkessinger@gctelegram.com

There was no doubt in Phil Terpstra's mind.

The Garden City Community College softball coach knew if Butler wanted to continue the game they were going to have to throw out Kirsten Bahr at home plate. There was no other way around it.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader Bahr stood on second base. Megan Hamilton, who followed Bahr in the batting order drilled a hard grounder that hit off the top of Butler third baseman Andrea Weiss' glove and went into left field. As Bahr darted toward third, Terpstra waved his arm toward home. Bahr headed home and as left fielder Jessica Matlock's throw sailed into catcher Andrea New's glove, Bahr slid past the tag into home plate. The run gave Garden City a 7-6 win, wiping out the taste the 5-3 loss in the opener.

"(Butler) was going to have to make a great play," Terpstra said of the final run. "(Bahr) is one of our best base runners. So if Megan hit it to the outfield, she was going."

A day after Garden City (30-15, 9-7) lost center fielder Becky Diehl to a dislocated ankle injury, the Lady Broncbusters celebrated beating the Jayhawk Conference's top team. The loss was Butler's first in conference play this season.

The fact the second game went into an extra inning was a story all itself. The Busters trailed 6-1 going into the bottom of the seventh. With two out and no one on, Garden City loaded the bases. A Joni Stegman bouncer turned into an error as shortstop Amber Hilderman couldn't hang on to the ball and Lindsey Clay scored from third. Kayla Jeanjaquet, who had been 0-for-2 in the game followed. Into a wind that had blown toward the infield all day, Jeanjaquet launched the game-tying shot. Her hit cleared the centerfield fence scoring four runs and knotting the score at 6.

"I thought that it wouldn't get over because the wind was blowing too much," Jeanjaquet said. "It happened, so I'm pumped. It was one of those things I'd hoped I hadn't gotten them up too much and then we would die."

As Jeanjaquet's home run was just what the Busters needed, Terpstra had another plan drawn up going into the inning.

"When we came in for the bottom of the seventh I said 'OK, here's what we're going to do.'" Terpstra said. "'Everybody's getting on then (Stegman) hits a home run and we win the game.' Not everybody got on, but it was almost what happened."

Jeanjaquet was more than happy to take credit for getting the shot that was drawn up for Stegman.

"We had a game plan, but Joni messed it up so I had to come through for her," Jeanjaquet said with a smile. "She told me I could say that."

Taylor Cange (14-5) picked up the win. She pitched the first five inning, then was relieved by Marie Zoglman. In the eighth, Terpstra inserted Cange back into the game. Cange gave up five runs on eight hits and she struck out five.

Stegman took the loss in the first game, giving up five runs on six hits.

The Busters will close out its regular season Tuesday at Barton County for a make-up doubleheader.

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Game 1

Butler 5, Garden City 3

Butler 120 011 0 -- 5 6 1

Garden City 000 021 0 -- 3 7 0

Supak and Nelson; Stegman and Specht. W -- Supak. L -- Stegman. 2B -- Butler, Hart; GCCC, LePrey, Bahr, Stefanski. HR -- Butler, Hart.

Game 2

Garden City 7, Butler 6

Butler 020 030 10 -- 6 11 2

Garden City 100 000 51 -- 7 9 2

Gunther, Whitehead and New; Cange, Zoglman (6), Cange (8) and Jeanjaquet. W -- Cange (14-5). L -- Whitehead. 2B -- Butler, New (2), Earley; GCCC, Hamilton. HR -- GCCC, Hamilton.