Dodge City Uses Seventh-Inning Surge to Down Garden City, 8-6

Photo by: Adam Shrimplin/Garden City Athletics

Garden City, KS – Garden City Community College rallied multiple times but could not overcome a late push from Dodge City Community College, falling 8-6 in Game 1 of a conference doubleheader Wednesday.

The Broncbusters showed resilience throughout, answering early deficits and staying within striking distance into the final inning, but Dodge City used timely hitting in the seventh to secure the opener.

Garden City broke through first in the second inning behind a big swing from Danna Viera. After a pair of fielder's choices, Viera launched a two-run home run to give the Broncbusters a 2-0 lead.

Dodge City responded in the third, capitalizing on extra-base hits and timely contact to even the game at 2-2. The Conquistadors added another run in the fourth to take their first lead of the afternoon at 3-2.

The Broncbusters answered in the bottom half of the fourth. Reagan Sword sparked the inning with a single, stole second, and moved to third before scoring on an RBI single from Viera to tie the game at 3-3.

Dodge City regained momentum in the fifth, plating two runs to go back in front, 5-3, and added another in the sixth to extend the lead to 6-3.

Garden City refused to go away. In the sixth inning, Izzy Foster reached and Viera delivered again, blasting her second two-run home run of the game to pull the Broncbusters within one at 6-5.

However, Dodge City delivered the decisive blow in the seventh, scoring two runs on a clutch two-RBI single to stretch the lead to 8-5.

The Broncbusters mounted one final push in the bottom of the seventh. Maiarangi Waipara doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Valeria Mandujano, but Garden City could not complete the comeback.

Viera led the offensive effort, finishing with two home runs and four RBI. Sword and Hendrix each added hits, while Waipara's late extra-base hit helped ignite the final rally.

Key moment
Dodge City's two-run seventh inning created the separation needed to withstand Garden City's late push.

Key stat
Danna Viera accounted for four of Garden City's six runs with two home runs, while the Broncbusters stranded multiple opportunities in key moments.