Roger Ward is definitely testing his Great Bend Chiefs. The coach for the American Legion team has loaded up the schedule this season to give his talented team a test of their abilities.
This past weekend was another example. The Chiefs finished the 32-team Justin Sullivan Memorial Tournament with a 2-3 record. Great Bend went 1-2 in pool play, placing third. The Chiefs finished the weekend by going 1-1 in bracket play.
Great Bend lost to a pair of Oklahoma City teams as well as a Dallas team. The Chiefs earned wins over a Dallas team and Dodge City.
Great Bend is now 9-6 overall this season. Next up for Great Bend will be a date with the Salina Falcons Wednesday night in Great Bend.
Great Bend opened play Thursday with a 6-1 loss to Oklahoma City Sandlot. The Chiefs managed just four hits in the game with two coming from Brady Michel on doubles. Jared Maneth drove in Great Bend’s only run, driving in Jaxx Hillman with a seventh inning hit.
Brett Bayse went the distance on the mound, giving up runs in just two innings but a 4-run third by Oklahoma City gave the Sandlot a lead they would not relinquish.
The Chiefs started Friday with a close loss to Dallas-Fort Worth Blue Jays, 7-4. The Chiefs led for much of the game and took a 4-3 lead into the final inning. But the Blue Jays scored four times in that final inning to take the lead.
Great Bend wasn’t done. The Chiefs loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when Michel just missed getting a big hit, getting under the ball just a bit. That ball drifted to right center field where it almost fell in to keep the rally going.
“It almost drifted enough to land,” Coach Ward said. “But their center fielder made a nice play on the ball and it ended the game.”
Great Bend closed out Friday with a win over Dodge City, 6-4, to take third in the pool. Brice Kaiser put the Chiefs on top with a key hit in the 6th inning, getting one through the left side of the infield to to put Great Bend on top for good. Michel went 4-for-4 in the win.
Jacob Milton started and earned the win.
“It was tighter that when we played them here,” Coach Ward said. “Jacob gave us some solid innings. It was a deal where we had the base runners but we ran into a few out and that shut down bigger innings.”
That placed the Chiefs third in their pool.
Bracket play was with three other teams that finished third in their respective pools. Great Bend opened bracket play with a loss to the Oklahoma Stars, 13-5.
“We gave up nine runs in the first three innings but several of them were unearned,” Coach Ward said.
Barton trailed just 5-3 into the bottom of the third but four more runs by the Stars made it a 9-3 game.
“We were playing catch-up from the beginning,” Coach Ward said. “They just kept putting runs on the board. They are a good team. We gave them five unearned run. They made you pay for your mistakes.”
The weekend ended with a win over the Dallas Lions, 14-6, in five innings.
Brayden Smith threw a complete game, striking out seven and walking five. Great Bend blew the game open in the fourth with an 8-run inning to take a 14-4 lead.
Great Bend will host the Salina Falcons at 6 p.m. in a doubleheader at the Sports Complex.