By MARSHALL MOORE

mmoore@gctelegram.com

Sunday's doubleheader with Otero Junior College probably wasn't how Garden City pictured it would open it's 2008 home schedule.

Then again, maybe it's exactly what they had in mind.

After five games of its weekend Texas road trip cancelled because of inclement weather, the Broncbusters opened up play at Williams Stadium by sweeping the Rattlers 3-1, 3-0 despite cold and windy conditions in a series that wasn't even on the schedule until Thursday afternoon.

"I would have pictured a nice sunny day, maybe, with a few more runs on the board," said freshman center fielder Ben Warner. "But, hey, a win is a win."

With gusts ranging in speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, the Broncbusters (4-2) used a combination of pitching and solid defense in allowing just two hits to Otero over the two seven inning games. Both Rex Ingam and Bryce Butt pitched complete games on Sunday to earn their first wins of the season.

Early on though, things looked shaky.

After a scoreless first two innings, Ingam opened the third inning by giving up a solo home run to the Rattlers' Bryce Pittsenberger over the right field fence. The sophomore pitcher followed up by walking Brandon Buchanan on four straight balls.

"Rex threw strike one and the guy hit it out," said Garden City coach Chris Finnegan. "That's what happens in college baseball. Giving up a home run throwing a strike is part of the game, but walking the next guy in four straight pitches is unacceptable."

After a short meeting with pitching coach Ryan Sawyers, Ingam found his groove and retired the side with the help of a 4-6-2 double play to end the inning. The Rattlers wouldn't reach base again in the first game, as Ingam retired the next 13 straight batters.

"(Sawyers) was more upset with the walk, because after a home run like that, you want to get back on top of things," Ingam said. "I just kind of slacked off."

With Ingam holding down the fort, Garden City's bats started to come alive. The Broncbusters scored two in the fifth with the help of a one RBI sacrifice fly to right field by Warner that scored Sloan Soulia. On the next at-bat, Brian Chritz scored to give Garden City the 2-1 lead after Via Cass reached base on a botched fielding attempt by Otero's Jose Soto. The error was one of three on the day by the Rattlers, who would give up another run after a wild pitch in the sixth.

"The wind was blowing into left field, so you're just trying to hit it on the ground or hit a line drive," Warner said. "Any ball in the air is usually going to be an out when it's like that. You just have to hit it on the ground and force them to make a play on it."

The Broncbusters' solid pitching continued into the second game as Butt maintained a perfect game until a one-out double by Kurt Long broke the Ratters' hitless streak. The sophomore from Omaha then struck out the side.

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Game 1

Otero 001 000 0 ¬­-- 1 1 3

Garden City 000 021 X -- 3 4 0

W--Ingham (1-0). L¬­--Vierra (1-1)

HR¬­--Garden City, None; Otero, Pittsenberger.

Game 2

Otero 000 000 0 -- 0 1 2

Garden City 100 020 X -- 3 10 0

W--Butt (1-0). L--Perkins

3B¬­-- Garden City, Warner; Otero, None. 2B--Garden City, None; Otero, Long.