In Class AAA American Legion baseball action at the Great Bend Sports Complex, McPherson rode a five-run first inning en route to an 11-1 win on Tuesday night. The 10-run rule went into effect after five innings. The second game was postponed because of rain.
The Chiefs, who dropped to 3-11, entertain Thomas More Prep (Hays) tonight at the Sports Complex. The first game of the scheduled doubleheader is 6.
Coming off a Chiefs Classic championship game triumph over the Hutchinson Blue on Sunday afternoon, capping three wins in its previous four games, Great Bend rested some of its regulars against McPherson, so some of the younger players can get some innings in preparation for the Pratt Wood Bat Tournament.
McPherson, 4-9, with only 10 on its roster, had early momentum, scoring five runs on five hits in the first inning.
Steven Gonzalez led off the game with a double, one of three McPherson had in the inning. Zach Likely then doubled home Gonzalez before Nuss hit Aaron Marshall with a pitch.
Tanner Devore followed by driving a two-run double into the alley in left-center field for a 3-0 lead. Devore was out at third base after trying to stretch his hit into a triple after Johnny Allende relayed a throw from center field to shortstop Jaxx Hillman, whose throw to Anson Hall at the bag was on the mark.
McPherson added three runs in the second on one hit before scoring two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth.
Great Bend, which managed only two hits, broke up McPherson pitcher Brodie Burney’s shutout in the fourth on Dillon Reiser’s sacrifice fly, driving home Anson Hall, who earlier walked.

CLASS AAA AMERICAN LEGION
BASEBALL

At Great Bend
Sports Complex

Tuesday

McPherson 11, Great Bend Chiefs 1 (5)                              
                         123  45       R   H  E
McPherson     530  21 — 11  8  2
Great Bend    000  1x —  1   2  6
     Tyler Nuss, Anson Hall (2) & Jared Maneth; Brodie Burney, Chris Rakowski (4) & Steven Gonzalez. W — Burney. L — Nuss. 2B — McPherson (Steven Gonzalez, Zach Likely, Tanner Devore, Aaron Marshall).