For the first time since 2017, the Dodge City baseball team has won back-to-back KJCCC series with a doubleheader split with Garden City on the road falling 4-3 in game one and responding with a 12-5 win in the series finale.
The split on the day moves the Conquistadors to 14-14 on the season and 6-2 in KJCCC action, as the Conqs won three of four to take the series against Garden City. The Conqs have won eight of the last 10 meetings in the series against the Broncbusters and have won seven of their last eight games.
The Conqs will be back in action with more KJCCC action coming up with a series against Barton on March 23rd and 25th starting in Great Bend on the 23rd and then playing at home on the 25th against the Cougars.
Game 1 – Lost 4-3 at Garden City
Conqs wasted no time taking the lead on the day as
Zandt Payne draw a walk to open the game and later in the inning,
Andrew Detlefsen brought in Payne with an RBI groundout to make it 1-0. The lead doubled in the top of the second as the Conqs again took advantage of a walk this time by
Caden Matlon who came into score on a
Cooper Schneider RBI groundout to make it 2-0. In the fourth, the Conqs tallied another on a sac fly by Payne and the lead would remain 3-0 entering the bottom of the sixth. In the sixth Garden City broke through against the Conqs bullpen with a run and then in the bottom of the seventh the Broncbusters would score three runs to steal the win at 4-3.
In the loss, the Conqs had just three hits as
Cooper Tomkinson was 2-3 with a walk, while Matlon was 1-3 with a run scored and a walk. On the mound,
Shea Walker took a no-decision tossing five scoreless innings as the starter giving up just one hit with four strikeouts.
Game 2 – Won 12-5 at Garden City
The series finale would be controlled by the Conqs leading to the series win as the Conqs would out-hit Garden City 18-6 in the win. The top of the second saw the Conqs jump in front as a two-RBI double by
Peter Tassler started the Conqs scoring then two more came in during the inning on an RBI single by Payne and RBI base hit by Tomkinson. Tassler made it 5-0 Conqs in the top of the third with an RBI double and then in the top of the fourth Detlefsen smacked an RBI triple to score another making it 6-0 Conqs. In the bottom of the fifth Garden City broke through to tighten the contest as they scored four. In the top of the sixth, the Conqs countered with two runs and then tallied another in the seventh on an RBI single by Tassler. Garden City managed a run in the bottom of the seventh making it 9-5. Looking for more insurance the Conqs plated three runs in the top of the ninth as
Carter Olson notched a two-RBI double and then the Conqs added one more to lead 12-5. Conqs finished off the game in the bottom of the ninth to secure the 12-5 win.
The Conqs 16-hit attack was led by Tassler who was 4-6 with four RBI, two doubles, and a run scored. Payne added a 3-5 game with an RBI, a double, and a run scored, while Detlefsen went 3-5 with two runs scored, a triple, RBI, and a walk. Tomkinson chipped in a 3-6 game with a run scored and RBI.
Michael DeBattista tossed 4.1 innings to earn the win for the Conqs and struck out six, while both
Zack Robinson and Trenton Cheanard each tossed one inning of scoreless action in relief with three strikeouts each.
Brian Hallum also had a strong outing working 2.2 innings giving up just one run on two hits and struck out three.
