After picking up a pair of non-conference wins earlier in the week the Dodge City baseball team turned their attention back to KJCCC action on Friday as they took on Butler on the road to open the series against the Grizzlies.
The Conquistadors would play to a split falling in game one 10-0 in five innings but bouncing back in game two to claim a 15-8 win. The split moves the Conqs to 16-11 on the season and 2-8 in KJCCC action. The Conqs have split three of the last four doubleheaders in the series with Butler.
The series against the Grizzlies wraps up on Sunday, March 23rd in Dodge City with a doubleheader starting at 1:00 pm.
Game 1 – Lost 10-0 at Butler
The Conqs threatened to score early to open the day with a pair of hits with two outs in the top of the second but were unable to get on the board and Butler would plate two in the bottom of the first to grab the lead. The rest of the contest would see the Conqs manage just two more hits and struggle to get anything going as Butler had an offensive outburst of six runs in the fourth and then two more in the fifth to finish the game via run rule in five innings with a 10-0 loss for the Conqs.
MD Conner paced the Conqs going 2-2 with a double, while
Josh McClintock and
Cameron Stukenborg each had a hit in the loss. Conner Lovin tossed four innings in the loss as the starter for the Conqs.
Game 2 – Won 15-8 at Butler
The bats would awaken for the Conqs in the second game of the doubleheader with a pair of four-run innings leading the charge for the Conqs in the game two win over Butler. Butler would strike first with a run in the bottom of the second, but the Conqs countered with one in the third only to see Butler get another in the bottom to lead 2-1. In the top of the fourth, the Conqs took advantage of some free passes and Butler miscues scoring three runs to lead 4-2. Butler would close the gap to one in the fifth with a run but in the sixth, the Conqs would double their output. Stukenborg would highlight the sixth for the Conqs belting his first of two two-run home runs in the game as the Conqs would lead 8-3. In the seventh, Stukenborg hit his second two-run home run of the game and
Cory Chostner notched an RBI double as the Conqs posted another four-run inning to lead 12-3. Butler countered with three in the bottom of the seventh to make it 12-6 entering the eighth. After a scoreless eighth the Conqs added three more runs with a bases clearly double by
Juan Concepcion in the ninth. Looking for three-outs to secure the win the Conqs would surrender two runs in the bottom of the ninth but ultimately shut the door and earn the 15-8 win.
Conqs pounded out 13 hits in the contest including a 3-5 game by Stukenborg who had two home runs, three runs scored, five RBI, and a double. Jose Alonso added a 3-3 game with five runs scored, two doubles, a walk, and a stolen base. Concepcion added a 2-3 game with four RBI, two walks, a double, and a triple.
On the mound,
Will David earned his fourth win of the season tossing a strong 6.1 innings giving up six runs on six hits, three walks, and two hit batters, while striking out seven.
Marcos Santiago tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief and
Caleb Tucker tossed the final inning of action.
