GCHS wins nightcap versus Hays, 6-1
Story Credit: GCHS Athletics
One inning in the first game of a Friday Western Athletic Conference doubleheader at Clint Lightner may well have prevented the Garden City Buffaloes from sweeping one its biggest nemeses, Hays High Indians.
A five-run second inning by the Indians enabled them to capture an 8-1 victory to hand the Buffs their first WAC loss of the season.
The Buffs, however, showing the resolve that has been missing in recent seasons, bounced back to dominate the nightcap, winning 6-1. The split left the Buffs with an 8-4 record overall and 5-1 in the WAC. Hays now has a 2-5 overall mark and 2-2 in the WAC.
In that opening game, Hays got on the board with a single run in the first, but then pared a walk and three hits into five runs to take command at 6-0 after the Indians’ second at-bat.
The Buffs couldn’t find the offensive output it was seeking, being limited to just two hits by Beau Dreiling and Brett Rhoades.
“It was one of those games where we hit the ball hard, getting good swings, but they were always at people,” head Coach Lance Allred said. “Hays got some soft hits, but found the gaps.”
The Buffs’ lone run came in the third when Jakobe Rathbun singled and Drew Strecker reached on a throwing error that allowed Rathbun to score from first base. That, however, would be it for the Buffs. Hays added single runs in the fourth and seventh innings.
Gavin Wells went 3.2 innings to be handed the loss, but a bright spot on the mound came from reliever Jonathan Almanza, who went 3.1 innings, giving up two runs (1 earned), walking none and striking out three.
“For the most part, I thought the game could have been much closer,” Allred said.
Game 2 was almost the exact opposite for the Buffs.
They opened in the bottom of the first with Rathbun’s 2-run home run to right after Almanza had walked.
The Buffs added one run in the third when Rathbun scored on a wild pitch after two walks and a hit batter had loaded the bases.
Hays got its lone run in the fifth on a walk and two singles.
Garden got another long ball when Strecker blasted a home run over the right field fence to make it 4-1. In the Buffs’ sixth, Dominik Proffitt was hit by a pitch (Cameron Barrett pinch ran for him); Gio Benitez singled before a fielder’s choice put runners on second and third. Almanza singled to score Barrett and Rathbun capped it off with a run-scoring double to score Benitez.
Hays went down 1-2-3 in the seventh to end the game.
“The pitchers did a great job of throwing strikes and limited Hays’ batters,” Allred said. “I think the boys are slowly starting to see how timely hitting makes a difference. They’re moving runners around and doing more little things unselfishly.”
Pitching was solid for the Buffs as Strecker tossed the first 4.2 innings, giving up four hits, one run, walked five and struck out seven. Ryder Plankenhorn was brilliant in relief, going the final 2.1 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, walked one and struck out three.
The Buffs managed just five hits, but two of those came from Rathbun, and he finished with three RBIs. Almanza and Strecker each had an RBI.
“There are some days where you hit the ball hard and don’t have a lot to show for it,” Allred said. “I’m just trying to explain to the kids that you can go 0-for and hit the ball hard, and you can go 2-for-4 and barely hit the ball.”
The Buffs will have a week to prepare for their next two games on April 18 when they host Junction City (11 a.m.) and Manhattan (1:15 p.m.) in a doubleheader at Clint Lightner Field.
“We’ve now seen everybody in the WAC and we know it’s going to be tough the second time through,” Allred said. “That (6-1) was our biggest (margin) win so far in the WAC.”
Allred said he would use the five days of practice to work on situation to simulate game-like conditions.
“We can control what we set up and see how the kids do in multiple situations,” Allred. “We’re excited to see some other 6A competition next Saturday.”
Game 1
HAYS 8, GARDEN CITY 1
Hays…150…100…1…–…8…9…2
Garden City…001…000…0…–…1…2…2
Pitching—Hays: Rhoades, Dreiling (6) and Dreher; Garden City: Wells, Almanza (4) and C. Plankenhorn. 2B—Hays (Rhoades, Lonsdale, Shaw). 3B—Hays (Lonsdale).
Game 2
GARDEN CITY 6, HAYS 1
Hays…000…010…0…–…1…4…3
Garden City…201…012…x…–…6…5…1
Pitching—Hays: Jennings, Shaw (6) and Dreher; Garden City: Strecker, R. Plankenhorn (5) and C. Plankenhorn. 2B—Garden City (Rathbun). HR—Garden City (Strecker, Rathbun).