Missed Opportunities Costly for Skins in WAC Opener

The Liberal Redskins had runners on base with opportunities to score in every inning of a 7-4 WAC opening loss.  Garden City pitching walked 12 Redskin batters but the Redskins left 13 runners on base.  Liberal put the lead off hitter on base in every inning except the first.  However, the Skins only had two hits on a night with a strong north wind and temperatures in the mid 40’s.

Both teams scored a run in the first.  Izzy Garcia-Rotolo scored from second base on a wild pitch.  The Buffaloes scored again in the second before Braden Holder walked, stole second, and would score on a wild pitch.  Liberal scored in the third for a 3-2 lead thanks to a pair of Garden City errors. The Buffaloes scored scored three runs with two outs after two hits and a Redskin error.  That gave the Buffaloes a 5-3 lead.  The Redskins crept closer with a run in the fifth as Oscar Rubio led off with a single and would score after Garden City dropped Brooks Kappelmann’s fly ball to center.  That made it 5-4 GCHS after five.  Garden added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh.   Although Liberal walked 12 times, they also struck out 12 times.  Garden out hit LHS 9-2 and both teams made three errors.

Aaron Barboza was the Epic Touch Player of the Game going six innings with three strikeouts and one walk.  Barboza allowed two earned runs.   He had a double in the loss.

Liberal is 2-1 and 0-1 in the WAC and Garden City is 3-0 and 1-0 in the WAC.  Liberal plays at Guymon Tuesday for a double header.