Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Dodge City baseball, looking to win the series against rival Garden City, had to settle for a split after a road doubleheader on Saturday. 

Conquistadors came back from a seven-run deficit in game one to earn a 16-15 win, but game two ended 8-5 despite the Conqs holding an early lead. The Conqs are now 22-27 on the season and 11-17 after the split. 

The regular season ends next week for the Conqs as they take on Colby with a road doubleheader on Wednesday, April 29th, and then will be at home on Friday, May 1st. 

Game 1 – Won 16-15 at Garden City
After going down in order to open the afternoon, the Conqs struggled to get Garden City out in the bottom of the first, issuing multiple free passes. Hitting the first three batters of the game, the Conqs loaded the bases for Garden City, and the Broncbusters went on to score five runs in the first. The Conqs again went down in order in the second, and at the bottom of the second, Garden City once more worked the bases loaded, leading to two more runs and a 7-0 Garden City lead. The Conqs broke through in the third on an RBI single from Bynum Martinez and then tallied four in the fourth to pull within two. Garden City answered with two of their own in the bottom of the fourth to lead 9-5. In the fifth, the Conqs managed to tally three runs with a two-run homer by Cameron Stukenborg, highlighting the inning making it a one-run at 9-8. 

The contest remained a one run game entering the seventh, and the Conqs had an offensive explosion. After an out to open the seventh, the Conqs had a walk and double, and then a two RBI double by Hunter Morgan to grab the lead at 10-9. The lead grew all the way to 16-9 behind eight runs in the seventh for the Conqs. Garden City didn't go away quietly as the first four batters of the bottom of the seventh reached safely on three hit batters and a single as the Broncbusters tallied a pair of runs before belting a grand slam to pull with one run. The Conqs then saw the tying run reach on a double before getting a pair of ground ball outs to secure the 16-15 come from behind win. 

Conqs tallied 13 hits in the win as Stukenborg was 2-4 with a home run, three runs scored, three RBI, and a walk. Will Soto added a 2-3 game with three runs scored, an RBI, and a walk, while Ben Longoria was 2-5 with two runs scored. 

Aydin Ruiz earned the win in relief, giving up just one run on five hits and four walks, with five strikeouts in three innings. Saul Coronado recorded the final two outs of the contest to earn the save. 

Game 2 – Lost 8-5 at Garden City 
The script from game one flipped in the series finale as it was the Conqs that took the early lead, and Garden City came from behind to grab the win and split. Using a hit batter and three hits, the Conqs plated three runs in the first, and an RBI single by Soto in the third made it 4-0 Conqs. Garden City scratched a run across in the bottom of the third, but the Conqs got it back in the fifth with an RBI single by Preston Harrison. In the fifth, Garden City found a way to score two and then took the lead, capitalizing on four walks and a hit batter in the bottom of the six scoring five. Conqs managed just four more base runners over the final three innings of action and dropped the series finale 8-5. 

Conqs had 12 hits in the loss, led by Soto, who was 3-5 with an RBI and a double, and Longoria, who went 3-4 with three runs scored, two RBI, and a walk. Angel Vazquez and Jonah Andrade each chipped in a two-hit game. 

Stukenborg tossed five solid innings as the starter, taking a no-decision while two other Conqs saw action on the mound.