Broncbusters edge Indy in game one

By Mike Pilosof

Independence, KS-It was almost a day of missed opportunities for Garden City, stranding 14 runners while falling behind 3-0. But wise people understand that almost doesn't count, and for once, that was a good thing.

Nya Chacon and Carly Powley each went yard, Lacey Kearsley notched her eighth win of the season in the circle, and the Broncbusters rallied late for a 4-3 victory over Independence Sunday afternoon.

This was a day of near misses for Garden City, who went the first two innings without a single hit. And even after Tara Reid singled to start the third, the Broncbusters went in order after that. The fourth inning played out the same way.

Meantime, Independence broke a scoreless tie in their half of the fourth when Sarena Sanders smacked an RBI double. They made it 3-0 in the fifth on another RBI knock by Sanders and Jamie Burke's run-scoring base hit.

Chacon though changed all of that with one swing in the sixth.

Following singles by Elycia Johnson and Powley, Chacon pulverized Kenna Ferguson's fastball for a three-run homer to center that tied the game. That setup Powley's theatrics in the seventh, when the sophomore smashed a two-out solo bomb to give the Broncbusters the lead for good.

Independence did have a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, bringing the winning run to the plate with only one out. But Kearsley got Parker Moore to line out to second and Pair flied to right to end the game.

Kearsley struck out five in 2.2 innings of work, allowing just one hit for Garden City. Reid, who started the game, surrendered three runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings. Chacon finished 1-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and Johnson, Powley, Alexis Maestretti and Reid all collected two hits each.