MANHATTAN — The Great Bend Chiefs have had a rough start to the Class AAA American Legion summer baseball season against rugged competition.
The Chiefs (0-4) are playing in the Manhattan Tournament of Champions at Kansas State University this weekend. Half of their losses came on Thursday during the opening round of the tournament. Great Bend lost to the Salina Falcons, 7-3, and 8-0 to the Topeka Capitols.
Chiefs right-hander Mitch Kottas went the distance in the game with Salina. Great Bend left-hander Connor Sell pitched the first six innings against Topeka and righty Jace Bowman pitched the seventh.
Great Bend totaled six hits against Topeka, including two apiece from Bryce Beck and Trent Schremmer and one each from Danny Herrman and Kottas.
The tournament, which runs through Saturday, is being played at Tointon Family Stadium — home of the Kansas State Wildcats.
Great Bend takes on host Manhattan Manko tonight at 6:30, and the Chiefs meet the Hays Eagles on Saturday night at 6:30.
Hays swept Great Bend 10-9 and 7-2 in a season-opening doubleheader on Tuesday at Larks Park in Hays.
In the opener, the Eagles’ Riley Kaus hit a one-out, bases-loaded walk-off single after Great Bend scored four runs in the fifth inning and five in the sixth to pull back into contention.
Seven errors plagued the Chiefs in game two as Hays managed only two hits.

                                                                                                         — Mack McClure