Panthers outlast Buffaloes 4-1
GARDEN CITY – Garden City coach Trina Mai wisely pitched around Great Bend standout Kya Behr with the go-ahead runner at third base in a 1-1 tie.
Garden City’s Kyleigh Whitehurst was forced to pitch to Behr, who led off the eighth inning with a double. Back-up Adelle Smith, playing for leading hitter DeShawnna Bryant, drew a crucial walk on a 3-2 pitch.
When Kamryn Koelsch laid down a perfect bunt, the Buffaloes threw the ball away and Behr and Smith raced around the bases for a 3-1 lead. Alyssa McCauley followed with a perfect bunt that scored Koelsch from third base.
Almanza and Whitehurst reached base to start the eighth inning, but freshman reliever Chayla Prendergast (8-2, 4.14 ERA) retired Elly Ortiz and struck out Aleeya Cruz on a called strike and struck out Isabella Wilder to end the ballgame.
Buffalo Elly Ortiz singled home Yasmin Angeles in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. Catcher Kamryn Koelsch threw out Ortiz to end the inning.
Panther centerfielder Camdyn Post delivered the game’s biggest defensive play by throwing out Cruz at third base in the fourth inning.
Behr singled home Paige Thexton for a 1-1 tie in the third inning.
Whitehurst worked around Katherine Mazouch’s leadoff fifth-inning triple by striking out Thexton, Camdyn Post and Koelsch.
Great Bend (15-5, 8-2 WAC) lost all six games to Hays and Garden City in 2023, but have beaten the Indians and Buffaloes in 2024. If the Panthers win their final four games, they’ll clinch a 5A postseason home site.
After getting embarrassed 16-1 and 21-2 by defending WAC champion Hays Monday, the Buffaloes (5-9, 2-4 WAC) played their best softball Tuesday.
The Panthers’ primary edge is a trio of reliable pitchers – Prendergast, Braelyn Turner (5-3, 3.50 ERA) and Alyssa McCauley (1-0, 3-22 ERA). Turner pitched five innings and Prendergast threw three scoreless innings with six strikeouts.
Whitehurst (5-9) has pitched every inning for the Buffaloes.
After 20 games, Behr is batting .540 (40 for 74); Bryant .515 (34 for 66); Thexton .438 (28 for 64) and Camdyn Post .415 (27 for 65).
Great Bend 001 000 03 – 4 6 2
Garden City 100 000 00 – 1 6 1
Turner, Prendergast (5) and Koelsch. Whitehurst and Ortiz. W—Prendergast, 8-2. L—Whitehurst, 5-9. 2B—GB—Behr; GC—Whitehurst. 3B—GB—Mazouch.
WAC SOFTBALL
Hays 8-1 9-6
Great Bend 8-2 15-5
Garden City 2-4 5-9
Liberal 0-5 4-12
Dodge City 0-6 2-16
MONDAY—Hays 10-10, Garden City 1-1
TUESDAY—Great Bend 4, Garden City 1; Pratt 10-13, Dodge City 3-3
THURSDAY—Garden City at Great Bend (2); Hays at Hays-TMP, Dodge City at Wichita Heights
FRIDAY—Hays at Salina Central
HAYS HIGH (8-1, 9-6)—LL Valley Center 1-13, 5-11; WWW Dodge City 4-2, 10-4, 13-3; W Garden City 7-4; L Derby 2-14; W Wichita NW 5-2; L Eisenhower 2-3, L Maize South 1-13; W Great Bend 3-1; WL Great Bend 11-8, 3-13; 4-22 at Garden City; 4-25 at Hays TMP; 4-26 at Salina Central; 4-30 Liberal (2); 5-2 at Liberal (1); 5-7 Salina South, Andover Central; 5-9 at Manhattan, Salina South
GREAT BEND (8-2, 15-5)—WW Pratt 5-3, 5-1; WW Hutchinson 17-5, 14-4; W McPherson 8-6; L Manhattan 1-4; WWW Liberal 16-2, 15-4, 15-0; WW Dodge City 15-3, 8-0; W Dodge City 4-1; L Goddard Eisenhower 4-9, L Maize South 5-10; W Derby 9-8, W Wichita NW 13-3; L Hays 1-3; WL Hays 13-3, 8-11; W Garden City 4-1 4-25 Garden City (2); 5-7 Hays TMP
GARDEN CITY (2-4, 5-9)—WW Wichita North 20-0, 15-0; WL Goodland 8-0, 4-9; L Hays 4-7; L Wichita NW 4-5; L Derby 1-14; L Eisenhower 1-2 L Maize South 0-13; WW Liberal 7-3; 14-4; LL Hays High 0-16; 2-21; L Great Bend 1-4; 4-25 at Great Bend (2); 4-26 Wichita Southeast; 4-30 Dodge City (2); 5-2 Dodge City (1); 5-3 at Scott City; 5-9 at Topeka; 5-10 Liberal
LIBERAL (0-5, 4-12)—WW Bucklin 11-1, 14-6; L Hesston 0-1; L Kingman 5-12; LLL Great Bend 2-16, 4-15, 0-15; WW Wichita North 5-0, 25-3; L Maize 0-11, L McPherson 0-14; LL Hugoton 1-6, 3-4; LL Garden City 3-7, 4-14; 4-25 at Cimarron; 4-30 at Hays (2); 5-2 Hays (1); 5-7 at Dodge City (1); 5-9 Dodge City (2); 5-10 Garden City (1)
DODGE CITY (0-6, 2-16)—WW Wichita South 16-0, 22-2; LLL Hays 2-4, 4-10, 3-13, LLL Great Bend 3-15, 0-8, 1-4; L Goddard Eisenhower 0-10; L Maize South 0-6; L Derby 0-14, L Wichita Northwest 0-7; LL Salina Central 2-13, 2-20; LL TMP 8-9, 0-10; LL Pratt 3-10; 3-13; 4-25 at Wichita Heights; 4-30 Garden City (2); 5-2 Garden City (1); 5-7 Liberal (1); 5-9 at Liberal (2)
