Panther softball drops doubleheader
MANHATTAN – Great Bend’s softball doubleheader started perfectly when Paige Thexton led off with a double and scored on a Analiz Rivas single.
Manhattan rallied for a 9-3 opening victory and McPherson run-ruled the Panthers 16-4 in Tuesday’s second game played with a high temperature of 54 degrees and 5 mph wind. The Panthers (0-2) play Friday’s home doubleheader against Hutchinson High.
MANHATTAN 9, PANTHERS 3 (G1) – Great Bend kept battling as the Panthers scratched out three runs.
Halle Post drove home Rylie Duvall after a fifth-inning walk and sacrifice bunt by Rylee Prilling. Denver Ringo doubled home DeShawnna Bryant after a sixth-inning single.
Ringo delivered the game’s signature defensive play when she trapped Anna Wollenberg off second base with a nifty fake throw to first base. Centerfielder Bryant also made a defensive gem on a first-inning catch.
Manhattan chipped away against Panther starter Thexton and reliever Braelyn Turner. Kierra Goos drilled a 2-run fifth-inning homer. Takara Kolterman, Raegan Neitzel, Taylor Riffel and Avery Haflinger also drove home runs.
MCPHERSON 16, PANTHERS 4 (G2) – McPherson converted nine Panther errors and four walks into 14 unearned runs.
After Turner struck out the first two batters, the Bullpups scored seven unearned runs off four errors with two hits.
McPherson’s Keley Bergstrom drove home three runs with three hits. Addison Chapman, Olivia Cheatam and Sayge Salmans drove in two runs.
Bryant led the Panthers’ offense with two RBIs. Thexton scored on Bryant’s third-inning groundout. Bryant singled home Halle Post after a fifth-inning double.
Kamryn Koelsch scored on a Rivas first-inning groundout. Thexton doubled home Post after a third-inning double.
Great Bend 100 011 0 – 3 5 4
Manhattan 021 132 x – 9 9 1
Thexton, Turner (5) and Davis, Koelsch. McGee and Neitzel. W—McGee, 2-0. L—Thexton, 0-1. 2B—GB—Thexton, Ringo; M—Kolterman, Haflinger. 3B—M—McGee. HR—M—Goos
McPherson 722 05 – 16 12 0
Great Bend 102 01 – 4 6 9
Herrera and Clevenger. Turner, Thexton and Koelsch, Davis. W—Herrera. L—Turner, 0-1. 2B—GB—Post 2, Thexton. M—Salmans 2, Cheatam 3B—M—Chapman
