Hays Indians hold off Panthers’ rally

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune

The Great Bend Panthers (0-11, 0-7 WAC) were poised to steal a victory from rival Hays High. But the Indians’ defense came to the rescue with two spectacular defensive plays for a 5-3 victory in the nightcap. The Indians (5-3, 5-1 WAC) rolled 11-1 in Thursday’s Western Athletic Conference opener. Hays outlasted the Panthers 11-10 in Tuesday’s opener of the 3-game series.

HAYS 5, PANTHERS 3 (G2) – Great Bend’s Bre Ridgeway singled to lead off the sixth inning with the Panthers down 4-3. But Hays catcher Lakyn Zimmerman threw a laser to shortstop Dezarae Schmidt on Ridgeway’s attempted steal. Rylee Prilling suffered the same fate when left fielder Raegan Winter tossed to Schmidt and tagged her out at second base.

Had both baserunners stayed alive, No. 3 hitter Paige Thexton and No. 4 hitter DeShawnna Bryant would’ve batted after they reached base six consecutive times with five base hits.

The Panthers were a hit away all game, stranding two runners in the first, three runners in the third and two runners in the fifth inning.

Great Bend pitcher Jordan Turner was a hard-luck loser after yielding two earned runs. The Indians scored the game-winner when pinch runner Lauren Klein scored on a passed ball after Elle Dreiling reached base on a sixth-inning error. Schmidt tripled and scored the Indians’ insurance run on a seventh-inning passed ball.

Pinch runner Lainey Hardman scored on a Zimmerman sacrifice fly after a single and error moved her to third base. Great Bend’s Ridgeway singled home Lauryn Davis in a 2-run fourth inning. Brooke McReynolds scored on Halle Post’s sacrifice fly.

Zimmerman’s single scored Ashlyn Zimmer and Schmidt scored on Riley Dreher’s single hit for a 3-2 lead. Bryant scored on a passed ball after a trio of fifth-inning singles for a 3-3 tie.

HAYS 11, PANTHERS 1 (G1) –  Bre Ridgeway’s single scored Briley Richter for the Panthers’ run. Melyne Fletchall and Ridgeway each delivered two hits. Prilling and Thexton also had hits.

Hays High’s Aubree Thomas, Zimmerman and Riley Dreher each drove in two runs to spark a 10-hit attack. Morgan Berry and Dreiling also drove home runs.

Hays High 101 125 1  – 11 10 2

Great Bend 010 000 0 – 1 8 7

Dreher and Zimmerman. Thexton and Davis. L—Thexton. 2B—H—Zimmer, Dreher, Thomas.

Hays High 100 021 1 – 5 7 2

Great Bend 000 210 0 – 3 11 3

Thomas and Zimmerman. Turner and Davis. W—Thomas. L—Turner. 2B—GB—Thexton; H—Dreiling, Dreher. 3B—H—Schmidt.

WAC SOFTBALL

Garden City 6-0 6-2

Hays High 5-1 5-3

Dodge City 3-1 5-5

Liberal 1-4 5-4

Great Bend 0-7 0-11

TUESDAY—*Hays 9, Great Bend 8; *Garden City 12, Liberal 0; Kingman 3-9, Dodge City 1-5

THURSDAY—*Hays 11-5, Great Bend 1-3; Garden City 10-11, Liberal 0-1; TMP 7-9, Dodge City 2-5

GARDEN CITY (4-0, 6-2)—L Derby 6-10; WL Circle 5-1; 5-12; W Augusta 14-3; *W Hays 3-1; W *Liberal 12-0; WW *Liberal 10-0, 11-1; 4-25–*Hays High (2); 4-25–Goodland (2); 4-26–*Great Bend (1); 4-28–*at Great Bend (2); 5-3–*at Dodge City (2); 5-5–*Dodge City (1); 5-6–at Emporia (2)

HAYS HIGH (5-1, 5-3)—L *Garden City 1-3; *Liberal 6-4; LL Abilene 8-9, 7-12; W *Dodge City 4-1; W *Great Bend 9-8; WW *Great Bend 11-1, 5-3; 4-25–*at Garden City (2); 4-26–*at Dodge City (2); 4-28–at Hays-TMP (2); 4-29–Colby (2); 5-3–*Liberal (2); 5-10–at Andover Central (2)

DODGE CITY (3-1, 5-5)—WW Wichita South; L *Hays High 1-4; W *Great Bend 16-6; WW *Great Bend  8-7, 8-2; LL Kingman 1-3, 5-9; LL Hays TMP 2-7, 5-9; 4-26–*Hays High (2); 4-29–at Wichita Heights (2); 5-3–*Garden City (2); 5-5–*at Garden City (1); 5-10–*Liberal (1); 5-12–*at Liberal (2)

LIBERAL (1-4, 5-4)—WW Ulysses 16-0, 16-0; L *Hays High 4-6; W *Great Bend 12-8; WW Sublette 20-3, 13-3; L *Garden City 0-12; LL *at Garden City 0-10, 1-11; 4-25–*Great Bend (2); 4-26–Hugoton (2); 4-28–at Scott City (2); 5-3–*at Hays High (2); 5-10–*at Dodge City (1); 5-12–*Dodge City (2)

GREAT BEND (0-7, 0-11)—L Manhattan 3-17; L McPherson 0-26; L Valley Center 2-12; L Newton 7-24; L *Liberal 8-12; L *Dodge City 6-16; LL *Dodge City 7-8, 2-8; L *Hays 8-9; LL *Hays 1-11, 3-5; 4-25–*at Liberal (2); 4-26–*Garden City (1); 4-28–*Garden City (2); 5-3–Hutchinson (2); 5-5–Hays TMP (2)