Lady Buffs collect doubleheader sweep over Dodge City

Garden City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–In a doubleheader that was moved up 24 hours due rain forecasted in the area, Garden City played host to Dodge City in a WAC doubleheader Monday afternoon at John Ford Field.

The Lady Buffaloes would dominate the day with a pair of shutout wins of 19-0 and 15-0, in games that would go 2 1/2 innings.

In the first game, Garden City would come to the plate 14 times in the first inning, and scored 10 runs on nine hits, which included an inside the park home run to open the scoring by Yasmin Angeles. The Lady Buffs added nine more runs in the second to make it 19-0, that included a three-run home run by Kyleigh Whitehurst, followed up immediately by a solo shot from Elly Ortiz. Dodge City would only get one runner aboard in the first game, which came on a two-out hit by pitch. Whitehurst had eight strikeouts, as the last out of the game was a groundout, and threw a no hitter. Yasmin Angeles, Whitehurst, Josslynn George and Zayla Peck each had two hits and three RBI, while Piper Harris had three hits and drove in three runs, as Garden City collected 16 hits. The 19 runs tied a season-high set in early April against Scott City.

The Lady Red Demons would put two on base in the top of the first to open the second game, as Kiana Tasaka reached on an error and Tatum Steiner had a single. However, they would be stranded on the bases. In the bottom of the first frame, the Lady Buffs would go through the batting order twice, scoring 15 runs on 11 hits. Piper Harris would highlight the inning with a three-run home run. Neither side would threaten in the second and third innings, as Garden City completed the doubleheader sweep with a 15-0 win. Harris had three hits and drove in four runs, while Yasmin Angeles and Madison Polson had two RBI apiece. Whitehurst struck out seven in three innings of work.

Garden City is now 13-5 overall, 6-4 in WAC play, while Dodge City dropped to 3-19 overall, and 0-8 in conference play. Both teams will face off on Thursday in a single game in Dodge City.