Softball Splits Conference-Opening Doubleheader at Garden City

GARDEN CITY, Kan. - The Colby softball team opened conference play Wednesday (March 4) afternoon in Garden City, splitting a doubleheader with the Garden City Broncbusters. The Trojans dropped the opener 11-3 before bouncing back in game two with an explosive offensive performance, powering five home runs in a 15-6 run-rule victory to earn the split.

Game 1 

The Colby Trojans softball team opened conference play Wednesday afternoon on the road, dropping game one of a doubleheader 11-3 to the Garden City Broncbusters in Garden City.

Colby struck first in the opening inning when Brooke Zinken launched a solo home run to give the Trojans an early 1-0 lead. Garden City responded in the second inning, tying the game on an RBI double from Izzy Foster that scored Zoey Torres.

The Trojans regained the advantage in the third inning when Emmy Supernor delivered a two-RBI single that brought home Ashlynn Pavlov and Briley Christensen, pushing Colby back in front 3-1. Garden City chipped away in the bottom half of the inning, cutting the lead to 3-2 after Maiarangi Waipara drove in a run with a single. 

The Broncbusters broke the game open in the fifth inning, taking advantage of several walks to plate four runs and take a 6-3 lead. Garden City added to its advantage in the sixth inning, scoring four more runs highlighted by a three-RBI triple from Foster to extend the lead to 10-3.

Offensively, the Trojans finished with five hits. Pavlov led the way with a 2-for-3 performance that included a double, while Zinken's first-inning home run accounted for Colby's first run of the contest. Supernor also contributed a key hit, driving in two runs with her third-inning single. Brooklynn Ekker added the Trojans' fifth hit of the game.

In the circle, Katelyn Zukewich took the loss for Colby after pitching five innings, allowing seven runs on six hits while striking out six. Aubree Trujillo and Alison Nikolaus both saw time in relief.

Garden City was led offensively by Foster, who recorded five RBIs on a double and a triple, while Averie Ashford added two hits and an RBI.

Game 2

The Trojans responded in a big way in game two of Wednesday's conference-opening doubleheader, powering past the Broncbusters 15-6 to split the day in Garden City.

After falling in the opener, the Trojans' offense erupted for 13 hits and five home runs, scoring in five of the six innings to secure the run-rule shortened victory. 

Colby wasted little time getting on the board, scoring five runs in the opening inning. An error in center field allowed Brooke Zinken to score the game's first run before Ashlynn Pavlov launched a two-run home run to extend the early lead. Bailey Jackson added an RBI double later in the inning and eventually came around to score as the Trojans built a 5-0 advantage.

Garden City answered with two runs in the bottom of the first, but Colby continued to apply pressure. In the second inning, Briley Christensen delivered a sacrifice fly to score Isabella Malone and push the lead to 6-2.

The Trojans broke the game open again in the fourth inning with a pair of long balls. Zinken blasted a two-run home run to make it 8-2, and Christensen followed shortly after with a solo shot to extend the lead to 9-2 going back to back.

Garden City managed to plate a run in the bottom half of the inning, but Colby kept the momentum going in the fifth. Emmy Supernor added another home run, and the Trojans picked up an additional run to make it 11-3. The Broncbusters rallied for three runs in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 11-6, but that would be as close as they would get.

Colby put the game away in the sixth inning. Christensen drove in a run with a single before Supernor delivered the final blow, a three-run home run, her second of the game, to stretch the lead to 15-6.

Christensen led the Trojans at the plate with a perfect 3-for-3 performance, scoring three runs and driving in three more while also hitting a home run. Supernor delivered a huge game as well, going 2-for-2 with two home runs and four RBIs. Zinken finished with two hits, including a home run, while scoring three runs and driving in two.

Pavlov added two hits and two RBIs with her first-inning home run, and Jackson contributed two hits and an RBI as part of the Trojans' balanced offensive attack.

In the circle, Cheyenne Cramer earned the win for Colby, pitching all six innings while allowing six runs on 11 hits and striking out seven.

The split moves the Trojans to an even start in conference play as they look to build momentum moving forward in the league schedule.

With the split, the Trojans begin conference play 1-1 and are 6-6 so far this seaosn. They return to action Thursday (March 5) in Sterling, CO for a non-conference double-header starting at 1:00 p.m. CST.