BY JIM MISUNAS
Tuesday’s cold, wet weather became Great Bend’s nightmare starting with a 6-walk first inning. Garden City and Great Bend faced a constant pitching and defensive challenge with a wet softball.
The Panthers battled at the plate, but never recovered in a tough-luck 10-3 Western Athletic Conference softball loss to Garden City. Great Bend (7-7, 6-4 WAC) is 6-0 against Dodge City and Liberal and 0-4 versus WAC leaders Hays and Garden City.
Six Buffaloes scored after drawing a walk. Panther reliever Alyssa McCauley worked overtime because of five errors that led to two unearned runs. McCauley escaped bases-loaded first and second innings to minimize the Buffaloes' scoring.
Panther starter Braelyn Turner struggled with a wet softball with four first-inning walks. Garden City scored three runs as reliever McCauley walked two more batters.
"It was weather related," said Great Bend coach Carrie Minton. "We had a tough time adjusting to our (pitching) grip. It's frustrating. Once we calmed down and made an adjustment, we ended up doing a decent job. The weather was a factor. We had several uncharacteristic errors. Part of it was weather related."
Despite 15 strikeouts against Garden City pitcher Brie Manwarren, the Panthers hit the softball with authority in a 9-hit attack.
"We competed better than what the score showed," Minton said. "We'll compete at Garden City Thursday. We'll look for a better outcome."
Panther DeShawna Bryant singled and scored on a first-inning wild pitch.
Buffaloes Gabby Ortiz and Piper Harris delivered third-inning RBI hits for a 5-1 lead.
The Panthers rallied with a 2-run third inning. Paige Thexton singled and scored on a wild pitch. Analiz Rivas singled home Bryant for a 5-3 score.
Garden City (6-2, 6-2 WAC) took advantage for two fourth-inning unearned runs on Gabby Ortiz and Piper Harris RBIs. Kamryn Foster’s 2-run double scored two runs after walks and Foster scored on a wild pitch for a 10-3 lead.
Garden City 302 200 3 – 10 7 1
Great Bend 102 000 0 – 3 9 5
Manwarren and Foster. Turner, McCauley (1) and Koelsch. W—Manwarren, 7-2. L—Turner. 2B—GC—Gabby Ortiz, Foster.
WAC SOFTBALL
Hays High 11-1 13-3
Garden City 10-2 16-2
Great Bend 6-6 8-10
Liberal 0-9 3-14
Dodge City 0-9 1-14
HAYS (11-1, 13-3)—W *Garden City 13-6; LL Valley Center 0-20, 2-8; W *Dodge City 13-0; WW Dodge City 15-0, 16-0; WL *Garden City 5-1, 2-8; W *Great Bend 8-1; WW *Great Bend 11-1, 5-0; WW Hays TMP 10-0, 11-10; WW *Liberal 16-1, 19-11; W *Liberal 14-1; 5-9—Salina South, Andover Central; 5-12—Manhattan, Newton
GARDEN CITY (10-2, 16-2)—WW Wichita North 15-0, 15-0; L *Hays 6-13; WW Goodland 10-0, 11-8; WL *Hays 8-2, 1-5; W *Liberal 10-0 WW *Liberal 12-2, 5-3; 4-25—*at Great Bend 10-3; WW *Great Bend 7-4, 11-2; WW *Dodge City; W *Dodge City 10-1; WW Scott City 4-2, 4-2; 5-12—Topeka High (2)
GREAT BEND (6-6, 8-10)—L Manhattan 3-9; L McPherson 4-16; WL Hutchinson 17-6, 5-6; WW *Liberal 7-6, 7-3; W *Dodge City 12-7; WW *Dodge City 16-5, 12-1; L *Hays High 1-8; LL *Hays High 1-11, 0-5; W *Liberal 8-7; L *Garden City 3-10; LL *Garden City 4-7, 2-11; W Junction City 12-2; L McPherson 5-13; 5-9—at Hays TMP (2)
LIBERAL (0-9, 3-14)—L Derby 0-15; L Goddard 1-22; LL *Great Bend 6-7, 3-7; L McPherson 5-6, L Maize High 0-15; WW Hugoton 11-1, 16-3; L *Garden City 0-10; LL *Garden City 2-12, 3-5; L *Great Bend 7-8; WL Scott City 8-4, 5-6; LL *Hays High 1-16, 11-19; L *at Hays High 1-14; 5-9—*Dodge City (1); 5-11—*at Dodge City (2)
DODGE CITY (0-9, 1-14)—W Wichita South 33-5, L Salina Central 5-8; L *Hays 0-13; LL *Hays 0-15, 0-16; L *Great Bend 7-12; LL *Great Bend 5-16, 1-12; LL Hays TMP 3-12, 1-13; LL Kingman 5-11, 3-13; LL *Garden City 0-10, 4-11; L *Garden City 1-10; 5-9—*at Liberal (1); 5-11—*Liberal (2)
