BY JIM MISUNAS
Mother Nature rained on Great Bend’s victory parade.
Thunderstorms stopped play with the Great Bend Chiefs leading the Salina Falcons 3-1 Friday night at the Great Bend Sports Complex. Salina won the opener 8-1.
The Chiefs (17-13) and Salina Falcons (16-10-1) will likely battle for a state berth when the teams return to Great Bend July 20-22 for the AAA Legion zone baseball tournament. The Falcons won last year’s AAA state tournament.
The Chiefs play at Kinsley Wednesday.
CHIEFS 3, SALINA 1 (G2, postponed) — The Chiefs had a solid start spoiled with a 3-1 lead after two innings.
Carson Smith singled home Townshend Kurth and Colin Hall singled home Alex Schremmer and Carson Smith for three runs off Hunter Whittecar.
Salina’s Payton Powell singled home Cason Long for the Falcons’ run.
SALINA 8, CHIEFS 1 (G1) – Salina roughed up Chiefs starter Kurth (4-4) for five runs for an easy victory.
Zach Isaacson doubled home Sheldon Perez and Jason Duong and Hunter Whittecar, Cason Long delivered RBIs in a five-run second inning.
The Chiefs handed the Falcons three fifth-inning runs. Isaacson scored on a bases-loaded walk, Jovan Suarez scored on an error and Josh Weiser scored on a groundout for an 8-0 lead.
Christian Zahnter walked and scored on Calan Haberman’s fifth-inning groundout for the Chiefs’ run. Haberman singled for the Chiefs’ only hit.
Salina 050 030 0 – 8 10 2
GB Chiefs 000 010 0 – 1 1 2
Perez, Long (4) and Powell. Kurth, Soupiset (2) and Hall. W—Perez. L—Kurth, 4-4. 2B—S—Isaacson.
Salina 10 – 1 2 0
GB Chiefs 30 – 3 5 2
Whittecar, Suarez (2) and Powell. Hall and Carson Smith. 2B—GB—Haberman.
