July 18 2019 The Garden City Wind defeated the Santa Fe Fuego 21-5 at Fort Marcy Park, using a 21-hit attack to secure the victory. Garden City scored in eight of nine innings, including a six-run fifth and a four-run seventh, while Santa Fe managed five runs on 11 hits.
Brandon Kussmaul led the Wind with three hits, three runs and four RBI. Hunter Villanueva added two hits, two runs and four RBI, including two home runs, while Joel Garza went 4-for-7 with three runs and two RBI. Alvin Swoope collected three hits and scored three times, and Carson Lee and Jordan Pontious each had two hits. Garden City hit seven home runs overall, with additional homers from Cutter McDowell, Swoope, Garza, Kussmaul and Layne Gusler.
Gusler earned the win after allowing seven hits and three earned runs over eight innings. He walked three and struck out eight. Kyle Koppenhoefer pitched the ninth for Garden City, allowing four hits and two runs while striking out one.
Santa Fe’s Sherman Graves went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI, and Brett Elmer had two hits and one RBI. Patrick Gonzales took the loss after surrendering 15 hits and 14 runs over five innings, with 11 runs earned. Austin Stephens, Logan Linder and Cleveland Westbrook also pitched in relief for the Fuego.
