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Panthers softball sweeps Liberal
Brenna Bownes

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

Great Bend's softball team enjoyed its home away from home at Brit Spaugh Park. The Panthers drilled 11 extra-base hits to roll past Liberal 17-6 and 11-8 in Thursday's Western Athletic Conference doubleheader. The Panthers (3-4, 2-0 WAC) play Dodge City at home Tuesday. 

The teams combined for 42 runs and 43 hits behind a northwesterly wind gusting to the outfield.

PANTHERS 17, LIBERAL 6 (G1) — The Panthers scored 14 consecutive runs after trailing 6-3. Nine Panthers delivered RBIs and 10 players scored runs. Sydney Unruh drilled a three-run triple and Brenna Bownes ripped a two-run homer to right field.

Pitcher Jordan Turner (2-1) earned the victory in a five-inning performance. Shortstop Sydney Unruh delivered the signature defensive play by turning Jaciana Rivera's hard groundball into a game-ending double play.

Liberal led 3-0. Millyzient McClure singled home Lizzy Cisneros. Maedeen McClure doubled home Logan Dodge and McClure scored on Amya Blake's bunt single.

Unruh's triple scored Grace Rowland, Brooke McReynolds and Melyne Fletchall for a 3-3 tie after two innings. Eyleen Vasquez doubled home Jenna Ormiston and Millyzient McClure. Vasquez scored on Jaciana Rivera's single for a 6-3 Liberal lead.

Bownes' two-run homer scored Paige Thexton to ignite a five-run third inning. Fletchall and Unruh delivered RBI hits and Rowland scored on an error for a 8-6 lead.

Two hit batters and three Liberal errors paved the road for a nine-run fourth inning. Pamela Bujand's fly ball drove home Thexton. Rowland hit an RBI single and McReynolds followed with a two-run single. Jordan Turner hit an RBI single. Pinch runner Ryleigh Post scored on an error. Thexton ripped a two-run double. Analiz Rivas singled home Thexton for a 17-6 lead. 

PANTHERS 11, LIBERAL 8 (G2) — Great Bend employed a team hitting effort with nine batters delivering hits and six batters earning RBIs. Unruh and Rowland each had two RBIs. Thexton (1-2) yielded three earned runs with five strikeouts to earn the pitching victory.

 Lizzy Cisneros scored on a Nohemi Gomez first-inning single. Turner doubled home Unruh for a 1-1 tie. Bujanda scored on a second-inning error. Bujanda and McReynolds delivered RBI singles and Thexton scored on a wild pitch for a 5-1 lead.

Both teams scored in their final seven at-bats. Liberal's Logan Dodge singled home Vasquez in the fourth. Bownes doubled home Thexton for a 6-2 lead. Liberal's Millyzient McClure scored on a fifth-inning error. Turner, Thexton and Bownes drilled RBI fifth-inning singles for a 9-3 lead.

Liberal's Rivera and Ren Watt scored sixth-inning unearned runs. Unruh's two-run double scored Bujanda and McReynolds for an 11-5 lead. Dodge hit an RBI single and Rivera and Dodge scored on a seventh-inning error. Reliever Turner recorded the final three outs.

Liberal 123 00 — 6 7 6

Great Bend 035 9x — 17 13 3

Ormiston and Millyzient McClure. Turner and Bownes. W—Turner, 2-1. L—Ormiston, 2-4. 2B—GB—Thexton 2, Unruh, Turner, Fletchall, Rowland; L—Maedeen McClure, Vasquez. 3B—L—Ormiston. HR—GB—Bownes 

Liberal 100 112 3 — 8 11 1

Great Bend 113 132 x — 11 13 3

Millyzient McClure, Ormiston (3) and Rivera. Thexton, Turner (7) and Bownes. W—Thexton, 1-2. L—M. McClure, 0-1. Sv—Turner. 2B—GB—Unruh, Turner, Rivas, Bownes; L—Rivera, Vasquez