For the first time this season the Great Bend American Legion stayed in the state of Kansas for tournament play. The result was nearly the Chiefs first tournament title.
Great Bend came up just short at the Dodge City tournament over the weekend, rolling to a 4-0 mark through pool play then losing in the title game of the bracket play on Sunday.
Great Bend lost in extra innings to Hays by a 5-0 score to finish second at the event.
“It was a good weekend overall,” Coach Roger Ward said. “You would like to finish it and win it but it was a good weekend for us.”
The loss was the first to an in-state team this year for the Chiefs. Great Bend is now 16-7 on the season.
In the title game the teams went all the way to the 9th inning scoreless before Hays finally got on the scoreboard with five runs for a 5-0 win. That snapped an 8-game winning streak for the Chiefs.
“Hays caught a couple breaks and then a hit or two later had put up five runs,” Coach Ward said. “That loss was on me. I could have made some different decisions to move runners earlier in the game and I didn’t. I told the guys that one was on me.”
Bryce Lytle threw into the final inning before taking the hard-luck loss on the mound. Hunter Hanzlick led the offensive attack for the Chiefs, collecting two of Great Bend’s six hits in the loss.
The Chiefs reached the championship game with a 17-9 drubbing of Pratt in the semifinals. Great Bend ended the game in five innings due to the run-rule.
Anson Hall went the distance to earn the win, allowing just three earned runs and walking just one batter.
Lytle collected three hits in the win with a double, scored three runs and had two stolen bases. Kody Lang belted a 2-run homer as part of a 2-for-4 effort and Brady Michel had a 3-run homers. Jaxx Hillman, Jared Maneth, and Brayden Smith each had two hits as well.
Great Bend opened up play Friday in pool play by knocking off the Butler County Cubs, 5-1. Michel threw a complete game for the win, allowing just five hits and two walks.
At the plate, Michel went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and three stolen bases. Konner Ireland stole a pair of bases and scored twice in the win.
Great Bend ended Friday with a 10-4 win over Larned. Hillman scored twice in the win and stole a pair of bases as the Chiefs were aggressive on the base paths most of the weekend.
Lytle stole three bases in the win. Hall had a pair of hits, Maneth a hit, walk, RBI and run scored while Smith and Hanzlick each added doubles for the Chiefs.
Great Bend finished out pool play Saturday with two more wins. The day started with a 4-2 win over Hooker, Okla. as Smith went 7 innings, allowing just four hits to pick up the win.
Ireland and Michel each scored twice for the Chiefs four runs while Hanzlick continued his hot bat with a double.
Pool play ended with a close 7-5 win over Pratt to give the Chiefs first in their pool. Hanzlick took the mound for Great Bend and went all seven innings for the win. Lytle, Kyle Lang, and Hall each had two hits in the win while Payton Mauler finished with a pair of stolen bases.
The Chiefs are back at it Tuesday when they travel to Salina – a team they swept in Great Bend just last week.
Great Bend will be in the Hooper Showcase in McPherson starting Thursday. That will be a 16-team tournament broken into four pools of four teams with bracket play on Sunday.