BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

Great Bend's Alyssa Prendergast came to the rescue for her injured sibling Chayla Prendergast because that's what sisters do.

Great Bend softball coach Shawn Behr prepared Alyssa knowing Chayla (12-1, 1.22 ERA) would be unable to throw because of a foot injury.

"Coach Behr made sure we were prepared and mentally ready to come in if we were needed," Alyssa said. "He encouraged me when I was in."

Sure enough, when starter Braelyn Turner fought control issues, the Panthers turned to Alyssa.

"Topeka West was weak against the curve. We evaluated who had the best command of their curveball. By inning 3, we moved so Turner would have fuel in the tanks for Valley Center. 14-2 8-1 for JV. With as strong as our varsity is with lots of returners that leaves a lot of talent for our JV squad and JV has been an amazing way for me and the other underclassman to build on our skills and prepare to keep a strong Varsity for years to come.

I like to move the ball around a lot. I use a lot of different movement pitches to generate ground balls for the defense and mix speeds to keep hitters guessing.

What advice did sister Chayla offer ?

Chayla is an amazing sister and always has my back. She helped me with mechanics and cheered me. Just knowing that she has confidence in me helped me be more confident in myself. A moment I will never forget is getting my first strikeout on Varsity and instantly being able to run over to her and celebrate!

Did you warm up in bullpen and who was catcher?

I warmed up in the bullpen before the game and between innings with Rydlie. Since I've spent most of this season with Ryd behind the plate it was reassuring to get to work with her. Rydlie does an amazing job and is always ready to do whatever she needs to help the team in any way she can.

How did you use your work youve put in and personal belief in yourself to get the job done?

My family spends a lot of time working on our skills together. My sisters all pitch and push me, my dad has spent hours on a bucket catching me, and my mom has been my pitching coach since I started pitching. All of that has prepared me for whatever is thrown at me! Knowing that I have a support group is a huge confidence boost. My family, coaches, and teammates all encouraged me and helped me get through the game. Knowing that I have an amazing defense behind me along with unstoppable bats, really helped me stay calm and pitch with confidence!