DODGE CITY — With one powerful swing, DeShawnna Bryant wrote the perfect script for Great Bend's softball team. Bryant's 3-run homer sparked the Panthers past Dodge City 4-1 in Thursday's Western Athletic Conference showdown.
Dodge City pitcher Macy Musslin kept the Red Demons tied 1-1 into the fifth inning. Paige Thexton walked and Kya Behr singled with two out. Dodge City coach Ashley Podschun elected to pitch to Bryant (.536) rather than pitch around her.
The Panthers' best power hitter delivered.
Hays softball coach Abby Gillan learned about Bryant when she drove home seven runs to shock the WAC champions 10-5 in last year's postseason play.
Crafty Great Bend coach Carrie Minton relied on freshman Chayla Prendergast to work out a bases-loaded sixth inning jam after Braelyn Turner walked two batters. Prendergast (6-0, 2.31 ERA) struck out Kaitlyn Thompson to strand the bases loaded.
The Panthers (11-1, 6-0 WAC) swept Liberal and Dodge City and must play WAC champion Hays (4-0 WAC) and Garden City (0-1 WAC).
Great Bend's "small-ball" delivered a first-inning run when Thexton walked and came around to score when Camdyn Post's bunt single was misplayed. Post is batting .486 (18 for 37).
Dodge City's Hannah Venard scored on Emma Bell's second-inning sacrifice fly. Panther starter Alyssa McCauley was followed by relievers Thexton (1-0), Turner and Prendergast.
Shortstop Thexton made the game's critical defensive play when she forced out Bell at home on a first-inning bases-loaded jam after a single, double and hit batter.
Great Bend 100 030 0 — 4 4 0
Dodge City 010 000 0 — 1 6 1
McCauley, Thexton (3), Turner (6), Prendergast (6) and Koelsch. Musslin and Steiner. W—Thexton, 1-0. L—Musslin, 1-5. SV—Prendergast. 2B—DC—Bell, Thompson. HR—GB—Bryant.
WAC SOFTBALL
Great Bend 6-0 11-1
Hays 4-0 5-1
Garden City 0-1 3-2
Liberal 0-3 4-5
Dodge City 0-6 2-8
THURSDAY—Great Bend 4, Dodge City 1
FRIDAY—Great Bend vs. Goddard Eisenhower/Maize South; Dodge City vs. Goddard Eisenhower/Maize South; Hugoton at Liberal; Hays vs. Derby, Wichita Northwest; Garden City vs. Derby, Wichita Northwest
SATURDAY—Great Bend vs. Derby/Wichita Northwest; Dodge City vs. Derby/Wichita Northwest; Garden City vs. Manhattan/Junction City; Hays vs. Goddard Eisenhower/Maize South
GREAT BEND (6-0, 11-1)—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; 4-12 Goddard Eisenhower, Maize South; 4-13 Derby, Wichita Northwest; 4-16 at Hays (1); 4-18 Hays (2); 4-23 at Garden City (1); 4-25 Garden City (2); 5-7 Hays TMP
HAYS HIGH (4-0, 5-1)—LL Valley Center 1-13, 5-11; WWW Dodge City 4-2, 10-4, 13-3; W Garden City 7-4; 4-12 Derby, Wichita Northwest; 4-13 Goddard Eisenhower, Maize South; 4-16 Great Bend (1); 4-18 at Great Bend (2); 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
GARDEN CITY (0-1, 3-2)—WW Wichita North 24-4, 17-2; WL Goodland 8-0, 4-9; L Hays 4-7; 4-12 Wichita NW, Derby; 4-13 Junction City; Manhattan; 4-16 Liberal; 4-22 Hays High; 4-23 Great Bend (1); 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
LIBERAL (0-3, 4-7)—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; LL Maize, McPherson 0-14; 4-12 Hugoton; 4-16 Garden City (1); 4-18 at Garden City (2); 4-25 at Cimarron; 4-30 at Hays (2); 5-2 Hays (1); 5-7 at Dodge City (1); 5-9 Dodge City (2)
DODGE CITY (0-5, 2-8)—WW Wichita South 16-0, 22-2; LLL Hays 2-4, 4-10, LLL Great Bend 3-15, 0-8, 1-4; 4-12 Goddard Eisenhower, Maize South; 4-13 Derby, Wichita Northwest; 4-18 Salina Central; 4-19 at Hays TMP; 4-23 Pratt; 4-25 at Wichita Heights; 4-30 Garden City (2); 5-2 Garden City (1); 5-7 Liberal (1); 5-9 at Liberal (2)
