MCPHERSON – The Manhattan Indians and McPherson Bullpups handed Great Bend’s softball team a pair of season-opening losses in Tuesday’s McPherson round robin.
Manhattan edged past the Panthers 5-4. McPherson slugged its way past Great Bend 11-5.
MANHATTAN 5, GREAT BEND 4 (G1) – Sparkplug leadoff batter Aleah Urban homered and singled three times to spark the Panthers.
Great Bend committed one error, but it proved costly as Manhattan scored three unearned third-inning runs. Lindsey Wilson singled and Becca Olsen doubled and they scored on an error. McKenna Claussen scored on Allie Grant’s groundout for a 3-0 lead.
Haleigh Harper’s home run off Panther pitcher Shanaeia Mehlhaff scored Jessica Hagadorn after she was hit by a pitch for a 5-0 lead.
Shailey Clark’s triple scored Aleah Urban in the sixth inning to break up Kaitlyn Gregoire’s shutout.
McKayla Williams singled and pinch runner Lexie Parsons scored on Sydney Unruh’s groundout. Aleah Urban’s homer scored Alyssa Keller for a 5-4 score. But Gregoire retired Shanaeia Mehlhaff to end the game.
MCPHERSON 11, GREAT BEND 5 (G2) – McPherson roared to a 5-2 lead and powered past the Panthers with six extra-base hits.
Great Bend’s Aleah Urban stayed red hot with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Second baseman Sydney Unruh teamed with first baseman Cailee McMullen for a sixth-inning double play.
McPherson’s Addie Fitzmorris drilled a two-run homer that scored Taylor Bruce in the first inning. Jenna Mauler’s single scored Aleah Urban and Shailey Clark scored on an error for a 2-2 tie.
Ashlon Stanford’s single scored Jacie Myers. Bruce’s double scored Stanford and Taylor Casebeer for a 5-2 lead after two innings.
Aleah Urban singled and scored on a third-inning error. Fitzmorris singled home Bruce and Hope Wherman’s single scored Sophia Herrera in a three-run fourth inning.
Sydney Unruh scored on Aleah Urban’s fifth-inning sacrifice fly. Williams scored on Sydney Unruh’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly for an 8-5 score.
McPherson’s Hailey Henson and Taylor Casebeer delivered RBIs in a three-run seventh-inning.
Manhattan 003 020 0 — 5 13 0
Great Bend 000 001 3 — 4 9 1
Gregoire and Dupler. Shanaeia Mehlhaff and Kaylee Unruh. W—Gaume. L— Shanaeia Mehlhaff, 0-1. 2B—GB—Mauler; M—Olsen; 3B—GB—Clark. HR—M—Harper.
Great Bend 201 011 0 — 5 10 4
McPherson 230 300 3 — 11 13 4
Fitzmorris, Henson (5) and Potter. Shanaeia Mehlhaff, Sarah Mehlhaff (4) and Kaylee Unruh. 2B—GB—Clark; Mc—Bruce, Potter, Myers, Pelzel, Henson. HR—Mc—Fitzmorris.
WAC SOFTBALL
Dodge City 4-0
Liberal 4-0
Hays High 2-0
Garden City 0-0
Great Bend 0-2
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
McPherson 11, Great Bend 5; Manhattan 5, Great Bend 4
THURSDAY
Bucklin at Great Bend
Dodge City at Wichita South
FRIDAY
Hays at Abilene
Valley Center at Garden City
DODGE CITY (4-0)—WW McPherson 7-5, 16-6; WW Hays-TMP 10-0, 12-2; 3-28—at Wichita South; 4-4—*Hays High; 4-11—at Wichita Heights; 4-16—*Great Bend; 4-25—at Ulysses; 4-29—*at Garden City; 5-3/5-4—at Emporia; 5-9—*Liberal;
LIBERAL (4-0)—WW Ulysses 20-1, 10-6; WW Scott City 8-5, 14-2; 4-5—*at Great Bend; 4-16—*Garden City; 4-19—at Wichita Southeast; 4-25—at Elkhart; 4-30—*Hays High; 5-2—at Stanton County; 5-6—at Hugoton; 5-9—*at Dodge City
HAYS HIGH (2-0)—WW—Goodland 14-0, 18-2; 3-29—at Abilene; 4-2—*Garden City; 4-4—*Dodge City; 4-8—Hays-TMP; 4-12—at Colby; 4-19—*Great Bend; 4-25—Salina Sacred Heart/Hays TMP; 4-30—*at Liberal; 5-3—Goddard/at Maize High; 5-7—Salina South/at McPherson
GARDEN CITY (0-0)—3-29—Valley Center; 4-2—*at Hays High; 4-4—at Hays-TMP; 4-6—at Wichita North; 4-16—*at Liberal; 4-18—Colby; 4-23—Arkansas City/at Derby; 4-25—*Great Bend; 4-29—*Dodge City; 5-3/4—at Emporia; 5-7—Goodland
GREAT BEND (0-2)—L McPherson 5-11; L Manhattan 4-5; 3-28—Bucklin; 4-5—*Liberal; 4-9—Kingman; 4-16—*at Dodge City; 4-18—Ellinwood/at Hoisington; 4-19—*at Hays High; 4-25—*at Garden City; 5-2—Hays-TMP; 5-7—Hutchinson
