BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

WICHITA — To have any chance of another shocking upset, the Great Bend baseball team must rely on pitching and defense at the 5A state baseball tournament.
The Panthers (9-13) open against No. 1 seed Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights (20-2) at 11 a.m. Thursday at Wichita State’s Eck Stadium. 
Panther pitchers Colin Hall 3-0, 1.84 ERA) and Dalton Bieker (2-1, 1.73 ERA) threw back-to-back regional shutouts against Salina Central 3-0 and Liberal 2-0. 
Beck said the key was playing relaxed baseball and having fun competing.
“We played relaxed with no pressure, and hopefully we can do that again this week,” he said. “It’s a big-time atmosphere when you qualify for state baseball. We kept stressing the positive aspects. It was great to see the players rewarded for their hard work.”
Great Bend is a three-time state baseball champion in 1998, 1995 and 1955. Topeka Seaman beat the Panthers in the seventh inning in 2009 in their last state appearance. 
A low-scoring game is the Panthers’ best chance of an upset.
“The guys played good quality baseball,” Beck said. “The pitchers threw strikes and gave up five hits in two games. We played high-level defense. We’d love to play a low-scoring game. In a close game, you can capitalize on small ball and move runners up.”
The Thunderbirds are a four-time 5A state baseball champion that has qualified six consecutive years for the 5A tournament. Beck believes the Thunderbirds’ experience at state can be an advantage.
“Once you’ve qualified for state, that tradition gives you an advantage,” Beck said. 
The Thunderbirds’ pitching mumbers border on unbelievable. Ace Peyton Carson (8-0, 0.32 ERA), Tyler White (4-0, 0.52 ERA) and Zach Custing (4-0, 0.62 ERA) have combined to yield a combined six earned runs in 92 innings. White threw the regional semifinal 9-0 over Highland Park and Carson pitched the championship game, 7-2 over Topeka West.
“Their bullpen depth is good and their pitchers throw the ball well up and down their staff,” Beck said. “They are a very good hitting team that swings the bats up-and-down the lineup.”
Wichita Carroll, Wichita Heights and Topeka Seaman also qualified for 5a state baseball with last-inning wins.

6A
THURSDAY LAWRENCE HOGLUND STADIUM

11 a.m.—Blue Valley NW 17-5 vs. Washburn Rural 14-8
1;15 p.m.—Derby 16-6 vs. Olathe Northest 15-7
3:30 p.m.—Blue Valley 19-3 vs. SM Northwest 13-9
5:45 p.m.—Lawrence Free State 16-6 vs. Campus 15-7
REGIONALS
DERBY—Derby 12-2 Topeka; Wichita West 8-6 Dodge City; Derby 1-0 Wichita West
HAYSVILLE—Campus 10-0 Hutchinson; Junction City 11-1 Wichita North; Campus 9-0 Junction City
LAWRENCE—Free State 15-0 Wichita South; Wichita NW 4-1 Wichita East; Free State 4-2 Wichita NW 
MANHATTAN—Manhattan 13-0 Wichita SE; Washburn Rural 4-3 Garden City; Washburn Rural 14-11 Manhattan
OLATHE—Olathe NW 6-1 Olathe North; Olathe South 1-0 Lawrence; Olathe NW 5-4 Olathe North
OVERLAND PARK—Blue Valley 15-0 KC Harmon; BV North 5-4 Gardner; Blue Valley 1-0 BV North
OVERLAND PARK—Blue Valley NW 10-4 BV West; Olathe East 5-0 SM West; BV Northwest 2-0 Olathe East
SHAWNEE—SM East 2-0 SM North 0; SM Northwest 10-2 SM South; SM Northwest 3-2 SM East

5A
THURSDAY WICHITA ECK STADIUM
11 a.m.—Shawnee Heights 20-2 vs. Great Bend 9-13

1:15 p.m.—Topeka Seaman 18-4 vs. BV Southwest 16-6

3:30 p.m.—Wichita Heights 20-2 vs. Maize High 14-8

5:45 p.m.—Wichita Carroll 19-3 vs. Mill  Valley 14-8
5A REGIONALS

DESOTO—Mill Valley 3-0 KC Turner; DeSoto 9-0 KC Wyandotte; Mill Valley 3-2 DeSoto, 8 innings
LIBERAL—Liberal 4-0 Newton; Great Bend 3-0 Salina Central; Great Bend 2-0 Liberal
TOPEKA—Shawnee Heights 10-0 Highland Park; Olathe West 12-0 KC Schlagle; Shawnee Heights 7-2 Olathe West
TOPEKA—Topeka Seaman 8-0 Leavenworth 0; St. Thomas Aquinas 3-2 St. James 2; Topeka Seaman 3-2 St. Thomas Aquinas
MAIZE—Maize 7-1 Goddard; Maize South 5-1 Topeka West; Maize 5-3 Maize South
PITTSBURG—Pittsburg 10-0 KC Washington; BV Southwest 7-0 Lansing; BV Southwest 7-1 Pittsburg 
WICHITA—Wichita Carroll 8-2 Eisenhower; Valley Center 6-1 Kapaun-Mt. Carmel; Wichita Carroll 5-4 Valley Center
WICHITA—Wichita Heights 10-0 Andover; Emporia 8-4 Salina South, 8 innings; Wichita Heights 2-1 Emporia

4A DIVISION 1
THURSDAY EMPORIA SODEN’S GROVE

11 a.m.—Arkansas City 18-4 vs. Independence 9-13
1:15 p.m.—Andover Central 16-6 vs. Ottawa 12-10
3:30 p.m.—Paola 18-4 vs. Tonganoxie 6-16
5:45 p.m.—Buhler 15-7 vs. SM Miege 12-10
4A REGIONALS

ALTAMONT—Chanute 13-3 Coffeyville 3; Independence 7-3 Labette Co.; Independence 5-2 Chanute
AUGUSTA—Andale 9-1 Augusta; Circle 4-3 El Dorado; Andover Central 1-0 Circle; Andover Central 5-2 Andale
BALDWIN—Abilene 9-1 Wamego; Ottawa 4-1 Baldwin; Ottawa 4-1 Abilene 
EUDORA—Eudora 2-1 Bonner Springs; SM Miege 15-3 KC Sumner; SM Miege 9-3 Eudora
FORT SCOTT—Paola 12-2 Louisburg; Spring Hill 7-3 Fort Scott; Paola 14-9 Spring Hill
HAYS—McPherson 11-1 Ulysses; Buhler 1-0 Hays High; Buhler 7-5 McPherson
TONGANOXIE—Tonganoxie 12-10 Atchison; KC Piper 4-3 Basehor-Linwood, 9 innings; Tonganoxie 5-2 KC Piper
WINFIELD—Winfield 13-3 Rose Hill; Arkansas City 10-1 Winfield; Wellington 6-4 Mulvane; Arkansas City 4-1 Wellington

4A DIVISION 2
THURSDAY SALINA, DEAN EVANS

11 a.m.—Nickerson 21-1 vs. Anderson County 11-11
1:15 p.m.—Iola 20-2 vs. Wichita Trinity 18-3
3:30 p.m.—Pratt 20-2 vs. Parsons 13-9
5:45 p.m.—Rock Creek 20-2 vs. KC Ward 11-7

4A REGIONALS 
CLAY CENTER—Marysville 5-4 Chapman; Rock Creek 10-2 Marysville; Clay Center 8-5 Concordia Rock Creek 11-4 Clay Center
CLEARWATER—Wichita Trinity 6-3 Clearwater; Wichita Collegiate 7-3 Kingman; Wichita Trinity 2-1 Wichita Collegiate
FRONTENAC—Iola 4-1 Prairie View; Girard 5-3 Frontenac, 9 innings; Iola 10-0 Girard 
GARNETT—Burlington 4-1 Santa Fe Trail; Anderson Co. 4-3 Osawatomie; Anderson Co. 6-5 Burlington
HOISINGTON—Nickerson 9, Hoisington-Central Plains 0; Russell 13, Smoky Valley 11; Nickerson 8, Russell 0
HOLCOMB—Pratt 10-0 Hugoton; Larned 6-4 Holcomb; Pratt 4-1 Larned
MERIDEN—Holton 4-2 Jefferson West; KC Ward 11-8 Topeka Hayden; KC Ward 7-1 Holton
PARSONS—Columbus def. Galena; Parsons 5-4 Baxter Springs; Parsons 11-10 Columbus

3A 
THURSDAY MANHATTAN, TOINTON STADIUM

11 a.m.—Cherokee-SE 19-1 vs. Sabetha 19-3
1:15 p.m.—Marion 21-2 vs. Cheney 19-3
3:30 p.m.—Hays-TMP 21-1 vs. Wellsville 19-4
5:45 p.m.—Riley County 19-2 vs. Humboldt 20-3
3A REGIONALS

ATCHISON—Pleasant Ridge 5-1 Wathena-Riverside; Atchison Maur Hill 12-2 Atchison Co. Hiawatha 3-2 Nemaha Central; Sabetha 13-3 Pleasant Ridge; Maur Hill 10-0 Hiawatha; Sabetha 10-1 Maur Hill 
CHENEY—Hesston 15-4 Chaparral; Halstead 2-1 Sedgwick; Haven 10-0 Belle Plaine; Cheney 12-2 Hesston; Haven 12-0 Halstead; Cheney 11-1 Haven 
HUMBOLDT—Fredonia 10-8 Remington; Jayhawk Linn 5-4 Wichita Independent; Eureka 11-0 Douglass; Humboldt 5-1 Fredonia; Jayhawk-Linn 8-7 Eureka; Humboldt 5-4 Jayhawk-Linn 
LAKIN—Scott City 4-2 Goodland; Lakin 12-0 Cimarron; Colby 11-0 SW Heights; Hays-TMP 15-0 Scott City; Colby 6-0 Lakin; TMP 6-0 Colby
LYONS—Marion 10-3 Lyons; Hillsboro 12-0 Minneapolis; SE Saline 12-2 Lincoln-Sylvan-Lucas; Beloit 7-1 Ellsworth-Wilson; Marion 6-5 Hillsboro, 8 innings; SE Saline 5-4 Beloit; Marion 6-0 SE Saline
RIVERTON—Cherryvale 1-0 Arma-NE, 9 innings; Caney Valley 13-1 Erie; Riverton 12-1 Neodesha; Cherokee-SE 5-4 Cherryvale; Caney Valley 4-3 Riverton, 8 innings; Cherokee-SE 4-2 Caney Valley 
SILVER LAKE—Silver Lake 12-4 St. Marys; Riley Co. 17-0 Royal Valley; Council Grove 4-2 Rossville; Silver Lake 6-2 Mission Valley; Riley Co 11-1 Council Grove; Riley Co. 17-9 Silver Lake 
WELLSVILLE—Osage City 7-6 West Franklin; Central Heights 3-2 Perry-Lecompton; Wellsville 17-2 McLouth; Oskaloosa 13-2 Central Heights; Wellsville 10-0 Osage City; Wellsville 15-4 Oskaloosa

2-1A
THURSDAY—GREAT BEND SPORTS COMPLEX

11 a.m.—Elkhart 20-2 vs. Pittsburg Colgan 7-15
1:15 p.m.—KC Christian 18-4 vs. Ell-Saline 16-7 
3:30 p.m.—West Elk 18-3 vs. Chase County 13-9
5:45 p.m.—Spearville 17-3 vs. Leon-Bluestem 13-8

2A REGIONALS

ALMA—Lebo-Waverly 14-4 Burlingame; No. Heights 12-11 Lyndon; Chase Co. 5-3 No. Heights; Wabaunsee 18-8 Lebo-Waverly; Chase Co. 4-3 Wabaunsee
ELKHART—Sublette 18-8 Satanta; Syracuse 9-8 Leoti Wichita Co.; Elkhart 7-2 Sublette; Moscow 17-2 Syracuse; Elkhart 5-2 Moscow 
HOWARD—Sedan 14-13 Oswego; West Elk 16-5 Sedan; Cedar Vale-Dexter 10-0 Yates Center; West Elk 7-4 Cedar Vale-Dexter 
MORAN—Pittsburg Colgan 15-0 Pleasanton; Marmaton Valley 11-0 Crest; Colgan 4-0 Uniontown; St. Paul 10-0 Marmaton Valley; Colgan 16-9 St. Paul
MOUNDRIDGE—Inman 17-7 Canton-Galva; Moundridge 8-3 Minneola; Spearville 7-6 Inman; Moundridge 3-0 Medicine Lodge; Spearville 5-3 Moundridge
OVERLAND PARK—Olathe Heritage 5-0 Doniphan West; Valley Falls 8-4 Troy; KC Christian 9-3 Olathe Heritage; Shawnee Maranatha 14-1 Valley Falls; KC Christian 10-0 Maranatha 
SALINA—Salina Sacred Heart 10-6; Bennington; Ell-Saline 9-0 Ellinwood; Little River 3-1 Sacred Heart; Ell-Saline 11-3 Ellis; Ell-Saline 11-5 Little River
UDALL—Burden-Central 9-2 Udall; Oxford 10-0 Burden Central; Bluestem 3-2 Flinthills; Bluestem 9-8 Oxford, 11 innings