BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
SALINA — Great Bend Chiefs pitcher Tyler Stuhlsatz believes in the theory that's it's how you finish, not how your start.
The crafty lefthander threw six shutout innings in a dominating 7-1 victory over Pratt after six baserunners reached base in the first two innings. Stuhlsatz (5-1) struck out six batters and retired the final seven batters in a nifty 91-pitch outing.
The Salina Falcons downed the Chiefs 7-3 in the third game of Tuesday's triangular. The Falcons defeated Pratt 4-1 in Tuesday's first game.
Stuhlsatz stranded four baserunners in the first two frames with clutch pitching. Pratt's Jacob Deda drove home Matt Shanline after the first three baserunners reached base. Stuhlsatz retired Dylan Lunsford and Cesar Espino to strand three baserunners. He stranded two more baserunners by retiring Gerardo Martinez in the second inning.
Stuhlsatz singled home Paco Hernandez (hit batter) in the fourth inning for a 1-1 tie.
The Chiefs roughed up Pratt relievers Dru Lunsford and Jacob Deda for six runs. Hernandez scored on a Gavin Haberman sixth-inning sacrifice fly for a 2-1 lead. The Chiefs put the game away with a five-run seventh inning.
Joseph Moeder and Edwin Chavez singled an Mathew Moeder walked to load the bases. Bradley Hopkins singled home Joseph Moeder. Sage Koelsch singled home Chavez and Mathew Moeder. Hopkins scored on Stefan Spray's single. Koelsch scored on Haberman's groundout for a 7-1 final.
SALINA FALCONS 7, CHIEFS 3 (G2) — The Falcons roughed up starter Edwin Chavez and Hernandez for seven runs in the first two innings. The Falcons avenged a 3-1 loss to the Chiefs at Buhler Friday.
Mason Gary scored on a first-inning error and Kade Barber singled home Jayton Mathis. Parker Benoit's double drove home Nick Clayson and Mason Gary to ignite a five-run second inning. Davanta Keimowens scored on Brycen Mitchell's groundout. Clayson's single scored Zach Redding. Mathis scored on Parker Benoit's single for a 7-1 lead.
The Chiefs missed several scoring chances, placing at least two runners on base in the first five innings. Gavin Haberman scored on a second-inning sacrifice fly by Joseph Moeder. Stefan Spray scored on Brad Beck's fourth-inning groundout after the first three runners reached base. The Falcons turned a double play on Jade Poe's grounder after Mathew Moeder and Bradley Hopkins hit back-to-back singles in the fifth inning.
Falcons reliever Zach Redding threw three shutout innings with two strikeouts.
Great Bend 000 101 5 — 7 12 0
Pratt 86ers 100 000 0 — 1 4 3
Stuhlsatz and Poe. Espino, Dru Lunsford (6), Deda (7) and Dipman. W—Stuhlsatz, 5-1. L—Dru Lunsford.
Great Bend 010 200 0 — 3 5 2
Salina Falcons 250 000 x — 7 6 3
Chavez, Hernandez (2) and Beck. Keimowens, Redding (5) and Bolen. W—Keimowens. L—Chavez 2-2. 2B—GB—Hernandez; S—Mathis, Benoit.
GREAT BEND CHIEFS (12-4)—W Dodge City 3-2 (W Spray 1-0); L Dodge City 4-7 (L Stuhlsatz 0-1); W Larned 5-4 (W Koelsch 1-0); W Larned 4-3 (W Poe 1-0); L Hays Eagles 7-9 (L Chavez 0-1); W Hays Eagles 3-2 (W Stuhlsatz 1-1); W Chiefs 8, SK Elite 0 (W Stuhlsatz 2-1); W Chiefs 10, Larned 0 (W Spray 2-0); W Dodge City 9-4 (W Stuhlsatz 3-1); W Dodge City 3-0 (W Chavez 1-1); W Salina Falcons 3-1 (W Stuhlsatz 4-1); W El Dorado 10-3 (W Chavez 2-1); W McPherson 3-1 (W Hernandez 1-0); I-70 Bandits 5, Chiefs 4 (L Spray 2-1); W Pratt 7-1 (W Stuhlsatz 5-1); Salina Falcons 3-7 (L Chavez 2-2)
