Baseball Splits With BCU In GPAC Opener

SIOUX CITY, IOWA - The Broncos baseball team went to Sioux City Iowa on Friday to start conference play against the Briar Cliff Chargers. The first game was won by the Broncos, 4-3, and the second game being won by the Chargers, 8-1.

The Broncos came out of the gates strong, with the Broncos getting Tyler Kissler to second base, then James Velasquez going 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first.

There was scoring aplenty in the second, as Mason Masur would get a double, then scoring on a two-out single from Jace Valdez. Tristan Martinez kept the line moving with a single to put runners on the corner, which was capitalized on when Stone reached on an error, allowing Valdez to score and give the Broncos a 2-0 lead.

Briar Cliff opened up the bottom of the second with a leadoff home run to cut the Broncos lead in half, 2-1.

It took only the top of the third for the Broncos to answer, as Kissler singled and stole second ahead of an RBI single from Tyler Welsh. Kissler would get the Broncos into the scoring column again in the fourth, scoring Stone, who hit a double, and put the Broncos ahead, 4-1.

The Chargers would score a run in both the fourth and fifth innings to make it a one-run, 4-3 lead in favor of the Broncos. Velasquez finished what he started, getting the final seven batters out in a row to give the Broncos the win.

Kissler led the way for the Broncos offense, going 3-for-4 with a run, RBI, and a stolen base. Velasquez went the distance in a complete game performance, walking two while striking out eight Chargers.

In the second game of the doubleheader, it took both teams awhile to get the bats going, but the Chargers struck first in the third inning, getting a triple, single, and back-to-back-to-back doubles to take a 4-0 lead and get starter Danny Wisor out of the game.

Alec Fichter, who relieved Wisor, got into trouble in the fifth inning, getting two runners in scoring position before intentionally walking a batter to load the bases with one out. The decision by head coach Joel Schipper proved smart, as Fichter would induce a 6-4-3 double play without allowing a run.

Guillermo Metzler would come into the game in the sixth inning, and saw a leadoff homer and an RBI double to put the Chargers ahead, 6-0.

The Broncos would finally strike back in the seventh inning, as Santo Chirco would get a one-out single, then got to second when Julius Cortes hit a sacrifice bunt. Chirco would score on a single from Valdez.

The final runs of the game came in the bottom of the eighth inning, when the Chargers would put runners on the corners before a double scored them both for the eventual 8-1 victory for the Chargers.

Chirco, Cortes, Kissler and Welsh would all tally a hit in the game.

The Broncos, who moved to 9-13 on the season, will be back in action on Sunday when the Midland Warriors come to town. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 1pm.