Great Bend Chiefs head coach Michael Stettinger said he is hoping that some familiarity will give his team a jolt heading into the final week of the regular season.
The Class AAA American Legion baseball team travels to Dodge City tonight for a doubleheader, starting at 6.
“It’s one of those deals where we play them every year in high school,” Stettinger said. “Then several times in the summer, and it’s the same kids each time.”
That’s not to say the Chiefs, who are in the thralls of a 10-game losing streak, have seen much of Dodge this season.
Their previous meeting on July 9 was canceled due to lightning after 1 ½ innings of play. It was tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the second at the Great Bend Sports Complex before weather ceased play.
“We know what we’re going to get out of Dodge,” Stettinger said. “They’re going to be a quality team. We’re going to have to come out and compete. Hopefully we can put it all together offense, defense and pitching.”
Pitching was the cornerstone of Great Bend’s problems on Friday evening at Buhler.
The Chiefs, who are 6-22 on the season, trotted six pitchers to the mound in the doubleheader.
Great Bend would probably like to keep its offensive showing from the losses as it generated 14 runs, including a 5-for-8 performance from Shade Wondra, who batted in six runs.
“We’ll have the weekend off,” Stettinger said after the two losses at Buhler on Friday. “Hopefully clear their minds and come back ready to go.”