By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HAYS — After scoring 13 runs in a six-game losing streak, the Great Bend baseball team scored a dozen runs against rival Hays High.
The Panthers stormed to the dugout to celebrate a 12-8 victory over Hays to officially ruin the day for the Indians in Thursday’s Diamond Classic.
Great Bend left nothing to chance, hitting aggressive early in the count. All nine Panthers contributed a run, hit or run batted in in the ultimate team effort that coach Randy Beck predicted.
“We’re OK,” Beck said. “We’re due.”
The Panthers (6-7) play Goddard Eisenhower at 1 p.m. and Wichita Life Prep at 5:15 p.m. Friday at Hays.
Pitcher Jesus Bujanda pitched solidly after relieving starter Payton Mauler, who yielded five batters without recording an out in the first inning. Bujanda retired three consecutive batters to work out of a bases-loaded situation in the first inning. He kept his pitch count to 101 by throwing strikes.
Surprising cleanup hitter Brice Kaiser delivered with three RBIs and leading hitter Brayden Smith, Logan Perry and Jesus Bujanda each drove in two runs.
Perry started the hit parade with an RBI single that scored Smith for a 1-0 lead. Trey Riggs drilled a two-run single and Cole Murphy’s sacrifice fly gave the Indians a 3-1 lead.
Smith and Kaiser answered with two-run singles that scored Tristan Mitchell, Konner Ireland, Koy Brack and Smith for a 5-3 lead. Palmer Hutchison’s two-run single made it 5-5 after two innings.
The Panthers rallied for a six-run fourth inning for an 11-5 lead. Bujanda drilled a two-run single after Kaiser, Logan Perry and Cory Burnham drove in runs. Brack scored on an error.
Tyrone Wynn’s two-hit single sliced the lead to 11-7. But shortstop Bryce Lytle and second baseman Konner Ireland turned a perfect double play on Hutchison’s tailor-made groundball.
Brack’s RBI single scored pinch runner Dalton Bieker for a 12-7 lead.
Third baseman Mitchell gloved a line shot by Dawson Harmon to end the ballgame and keep Bujanda under the 105-pitch count.
The Great Bend-Goddard-Eisenhower game will be aired at 1 p.m. Friday on the internet link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tJaen4MJsM
The Great Bend-Wichita Life Prep game will be aired at 5:15 p.m. Friday on the internet link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tJaen4MJsM
PANTHERS 12, INDIANS 8
GB 140 600 1 — 12 11 1
HH 320 201 0 — 8 7 2
Mauler, Jesus Bujanda (1) and Brack. Wynn, Sennet (5) and Harmon. W—Mauler L—Wynn. 2B—GB—Kaiser; HH—Wynn.
HAYS 12, WICHITA LIFE 0
Wichita Life 000 00 — 0 2 7
Hays 602 4x — 12 8 0
Arnbruster and Martin. Coffman and Harmon. W—Coffman. L—Armbrister. 2B—H—Armstrong, Riggs; WL—Burrows, Amrbruster.
THURSDAY’S GAMES
AT HAYS
Hays 12, Wichita Life 0
Salina Central 20, Wichita Life 3
Great Bend 12, Hays High 8
FRIDAY’S GAMES
1 p.m.—Great Bend vs. Goddard Eisenhower
3 p.m.—Salina Central vs. Eisenhower
5:15 p.m.—Great Bend vs. Wichita Life
7:15 p.m.—Hays vs. Salina Central
SATURDAY’S GAMES
10:15 a.m.—Goddard Eisenhower vs. Wichita Life
12:30 p.m.—Great Bend vs. Salina Central
2:30 p.m.—Hays High vs. Goddard Eisenhower
