Panthers lose softball showdown to Hays

Hays Indian baserunner Dezarae Schmidt slides safely by Panther catcher Lauryn Davis. - photo by JIM MISUNAS Great Bend Tribune

schmidt safe — Hays Indian baserunner Dezarae Schmidt slides safely by Panther catcher Lauryn Davis. - photo by JIM MISUNAS Great Bend Tribune

Indians take WAC softball lead

Great Bend leadoff batter Paige Thexton reached base four consecutive times. The Panthers’ leadoff batter reached base in five of seven innings.

But Hays High won the battle for first place in the Western Athletic Conference 8-1 with solid baserunning and clutch hitting Tuesday at the Great Bend Sports Complex.

Great Bend competed at the plate against Hays pitcher Audree Thomas. Two Analiz Rivas hard-hit balls that would’ve delivered a home run and double were blown foul by a 25 mph south wind. The Panthers missed a bases-loaded opportunity on a baserunning mistake. The Panthers hit 10 fly-ball pops and struck out six times.

“The girls did a good job competing. We put the softball in play, but we had too many fly ball outs,” said Great Bend coach Carrie Minton. “We’ve got to do a better job getting on top of the pitch and put the ball on the ground.”

Hays (7-3, 6-1 WAC) leads the Panthers (6-4, 5-1 WAC) by a half-game heading to Thursday’s doubleheader rematch at Hays. The Panthers need a split to stay within range in the WAC.

“It’s been fun to see the girls enjoy their success,” Minton said. “We’ve played teams tougher this year and earned some wins.”

Thexton led off an inning four times by reaching base. Rivas singled Thexton home in the fifth inning.

Alyssa McCauley and Denver Ringo singled to start the second inning. But Thomas recorded three consecutive outs.

The Panthers missed a chance to load the bases in the fourth inning. But baserunner Denver Ringo was called out to end the inning on Halle Post’s windblown pop for moving into the fielding path of shortstop Dezarae Schmidt.

Hays Indian Lakyn Zimmerman drove home four runs with a double, single and groundout. The Indians scored two first-inning runs on two walks, a hit batter, a misplayed bunt and two wild pitches that scored runs.

Reliever Alyssa McCauley threw five effective innings with two strikeouts.

“Our freshmen pitchers Braelyn Turner and Alyssa McCauley did a nice job competing,” Minton said.

Hays High 230 102 0 – 8 10 1

Great Bend 000 010 0 – 1 7 2

Thomas and Lakyn Zimmerman. Turner, McCauley (3) and Davis. W—Thomas. L—Turner, 3-2. 2B—H—L. Zimmerman 3B—H—Schmidt 2.

WAC SOFTBALL

Hays High 6-1 6-3

Great Bend 5-1 6-4

Garden City 2-2 6-2

Liberal 0-3 2-7

Dodge City 0-6 1-7

4-18—Hays 8, Great Bend 1; Garden City 10, Liberal 0