Broncbusters beat Dawson on walk-off grand slam

By Mike Pilosof

Garden City, KS-Alexis Maestretti hit just four home runs during her high school career. Well, in her first 16 games in college, she's already equaled that. And while that's an impressive feat, it pales in comparison to her mammoth shot in the 7^th inning on a Tuesday, a blast that sent Dawson home with a split instead of a series sweep.

Maestretti collected Garden City's only two hits which included a walk-off grand slam that gave the Broncbusters a dramatic 7-4 come-from-behind victory over the Buccaneers in game two at Tangeman Sports Complex.

Incredibly, Maestretti was the Broncbusters offense, literally. Her single to lead off the 3^rd and her grand slam in the 7^th is all that Alexa Kappel and Shelby Martin allowed. Yet, somehow, Dawson trailed most of the day.

In the bottom of the 1^st, Garden City took advantage of a walk, two hit batsmen and a wild pitch to score their first run. An inning later, it was another free pass and an error when Fallyn Marshall dropped a routine fly ball in center allowing Elycia Johnson to score from third. Then in the third, Maestretti singled, Tara Reid walked, and Johnson laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to make it 3-0.

But as has been the case all season, Garden City didn't make it easy on themselves.

In the Dawson 6^th, Reid appeared to work out of trouble after surrendering a double and a walk to begin the inning. With runners in scoring position, she got Shelby Martin to line out before fanning Deven Creech. But with two outs, Reid served up a two-run single to Angel Montoya that sliced the Broncbuster lead to 3-2. She eventually got out of that mess by striking out Shenandoah Jackson. She wasn't so fortunate in the 7^th.

Reid gave up a double to Alexa Kappel to begin the frame and a fielder's choice that put two on with nobody out. Two batters later, Riley Arnold's RBI groundout tied the game before Lacey Kearsley committed an error at first that allowed the go-ahead run to score.

But the Broncbusters were given a reprieve in the bottom half, thanks to Maestretti. After Erykah Foster walked, McKayla Encinias was hit by a pitch, and McKenzie Moore reached on a push bunt to load the bases. After Carly Powley flied out to center, it was Maestretti, hammering a 2-1 fastball from Martin over the fence in center for the game winner.

The freshman finished 2-for-3 at the plate with four RBI and two runs while the rest of her team combined to go 0-for-19. Reid was steady in the circle, allowing three earned runs on seven hits in seven innings. She tied a season-high with eight strikeouts.