BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HOISINGTON — The Mehlhaff sisters were dominant to spark Great Bend's softball team to a doubleheader sweep over Hoisington 7-3 and Ellinwood 11-0 in Thursday's triangular.
Great Bend (8-4) plays at Hays High Friday. Hoisington defeated Ellinwood 9-3 in Thursday's opener. Hoisington (8-4) plays Halstead at home Tuesday.
GREAT BEND 7, HOISINGTON 3 (G3) — Shanaeia Mehlhaff slowed down Hoisington's hot hitters in a hard-fought seven-inning affair. Panther Jenna Mauler drove home two runs. Hoisington pitcher Taylor Boxberger held the Panthers in check through four innings.
Kaylee Unruh singled home Mauler and McKayla Williams singled home Shailey Clark for a 2-0 lead after three innings. Clark doubled and scored a fourth-inning run. Hoisington's Skylar Eidson singled home Kassidy Nixon for a 3-1 score.
Shanaeia Mehlhaff drove in Cailee McMullen with a sacrifice fly in a four-run sixth inning. Mauler's single scored Sydney Unruh and Aleah Urban. Mauler scored on an error for a 7-1 lead.
Hoisington's Taylor Boxberger drove home Trinity Dolezal on a sacrifice fly and Nixon's double scored Jenna Urban for a 7-3 final.
GREAT BEND 11, ELLINWOOD 0 (G2) — Panther pitcher Sarah Mehlaff struck out 10 batters in five innings. Lauren Petz and Emily Magner delivered base hits for 2A Ellinwood (6-4).
Sydny Unruh singled home Makayla Williams in the second inning. Jenna Mauler and Williams delivered RBI singles and Kaylee Unruh bunted home a run in a four-run third inning. Aleah Urban scored on an error.
Kaylee Urban hit an RBI single in a five-run fourth inning. Sydney Unruh scored on an error and Aleah Urban scored on a wild pitch. Shanaeia Mehlhaff scored on Shailey Clark's groundout for a 9-0 lead after four innings.
Cailee McMullen scored on a groundout and Aleah Urban scored on a passed ball for the Panthers' final runs.
HOSINGTON 9, ELLINWOOD 3 (G1) — Crafty Ellinwood pitcher Teigan Torres shut out the Cardinals for three innings when windblown play after play cost the Eagles. A northerly wind blowing 20 to 30 mph made every fly ball an adventure. Hoisington improved to 9-2.
Ellinwood led 2-0 when Kaitlyn Panning's two-run single Kaityln Pohlman and Lauren Petz in the third inning.
The Eagles committed nine errors that proved costly for Torres, who pitched a solid game. Jenna Urban scored on a misplayed ball and Taylor Boxberger scored on Kadence Urban's perfect bunt single. Kassidy Nixon scored on a wild pitch and Kadence Urban alertly stole home on a strikeout for a 4-2 lead.
Trinity Dolezal scored on Jenna Urban;s groundout for a 5-2 lead The Cardinals scored four sixth-inning runs with two out. Brooke Steinert and Bailee Bachar scored on an error on Skylar Eidson's bunt. Gracie Aylward's single scored pinch runner Keeley Wolf. Dolzeal's singled home Aylward for a 9-2 lead.
Ellinwood's Ashlynn Raya's groundball scored Jocelyn Brown for a third run.
Great Bend 002 014 0 — 7 13 3
Hoisington 000 012 0 — 3 5 1
Shanaeia Mehlhaff and Kaylee Unruh. Boxberger and Eidson. W—Shanaeia Mehlhaff 6-3. L—Boxberger, 7-3. 2B—GB—Clark; H—Nixon.
Great Bend 014 42 — 11 7 0
Ellinwood 000 00 — 0 2 6
Sarah Mehlhaff and Kaylee Unruh. Torres and Panning. W—Sarah Mehlhaff, 2-1. L—Torres 6-4. 2B—GB—Unban, Williams. 3B—GB—Mauler.
Ellinwood 002 000 1 — 3 4 7
Hoisington 000 414 x — 9 9 2
Torres and Panning. Nixon and Eidson. W—Nixon, 3-0. L—Torres, 6-3. 2B—H—Dolezal.
