HAYS — The Great Bend Braves split their Class A American Legion doubleheader on Tuesday against the Hays Renegades.
The Braves won the first game 11-3, but fell 6-5 in the nightcap.
“We played really well in the first game, but we didn’t do so well in the second game,” Braves head coach Jordan Metro said. “We had a lead late in the second game, but we let them get back into it.”
Jack Westhoff took the mound in the first game. He pitched three innings and gave up six walks and hit one batter while striking out three.
Westhoff got the win, and Lance Ward finished the five-inning game, recording two strikeouts and one walk.
The Braves scored one run in the top of the first inning, but the Renegades answered in kind with a run in the bottom.
Hays scored two more runs in the bottom of the second.
Great Bend found success against the Hays pitchers in the top of the third, scoring four runs to take a 5-3 lead.
“They threw slower pitchers at us,” Metro said. “They kind of threw off our timing, but I knew sooner or later, we would get the timing down. That’s what happened in that inning.”
Dillon Reiser and Shade Wondra drew walks to start the third.
Tristan Hall, who finished the game 2-for-3 in the game, drove in both runners with a single.
Matt Zecha drove in Hall with a single, and Westhoff hit into a fielder’s choice with Zecha scoring on the play.
The Braves scored six more runs in the top of the fourth, highlighted by Wondra’s RBI triple and Hall’s RBI double.

GAME 2
Hays Renegades 6,
Great Bend Braves 5
Tyler Nuss started for the Braves and held the Renegades to one run until the bottom of the sixth.
With a 5-1 lead, Hays rallied to tie the game at five in the sixth, and scored in the seventh for the win.
“We didn’t do to bad early on, but we walked a couple batters in that inning,” Metro said. “We gave up a couple hits and they were back in it.”
Ward walked the bases loaded in the seventh inning, and caught a Renegades baserunner in a rundown. The runner scored on the play to end the game.
Hall went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs to lead the Braves.
The Braves host Larned on Friday for a doubleheader. The first game starts at 6 p.m.

                                                                  — Kevin Price