Great Bend High School’s powerful offense was out in force in a non-conference softball doubleheader against Scott City on Friday.
The Lady Panthers won the first game, 22-0, and the second, 23-0 — both in five innings because of the run-rule.
“We were really happy with our girls’ performance here today,” GBHS head coach Carrie Minton said. “We stressed with them that they needed to be disciplined at the plate, not get anxious and we think they did a really good job of excepting that challenge.
“We hit the ball very well again today. Defensively, we backed up both of our pitchers today. We may have had a couple of errors today, so the girls played really well today.”
Great Bend (10-0 overall) scored four runs in the first inning  and another run in the second before driving in a torrent of runs in the third.
McKenna Mauler got the inning started with a single. She advanced around the bases and scored on a bunt single from Elizabeth Barber.
Dakota Sanders followed that with an RBI single.
Samantha Dreiling drove in a run with a bunt single, and Kelsie Doll struck in a run with a single.
Dreiling and Bonny Boultinghouse each scored on errors before Barber, at the plate for the second time in the inning, drove in three runs with a double.
Sanders scored another run and Boultinghouse hit a sacrifice fly to score the final run in the inning.
Barber went 3-for-4 with five RBIs, and Sanders was 4-for-4 with three RBIs in the first game.
“That’s what we asked the girls a couple of different times in the game to really make sure that they focus and that they could execute,” Minton said. “We went through a series of the girls putting down bunts. Once we saw that they were executing, we loosened up the reins a little bit and let them start hitting.
“They’re both good hitters. Dakota struggled a couple games ago against Hoisington. It’s nice to see her hitting well again.”
Braylin Bretz had five strikeouts and gave up one hit in five innings pitched.
In the second game, Great Bend batted through the order in each of the first three innings.
The Lady Panthers drove in seven runs in the first inning with Mauler, Boultinghouse and Stephanie Morrison each getting an RBI apiece. Kelsie Doll recorded two RBIs in the inning.
Great Bend scored another 11 runs in the second inning and five in the third to give Hunter Middleton her fifth win of the season.
Middleton had eight strikeouts in 18 batters faced. She allowed no hits and only two baserunners, both reaching on errors.
The first baserunner was picked off at first base by catcher Hannah Mauler and the second was left on base in the top of the fifth inning.
“I can’t say enough about how our pitchers are throwing right now,” Minton said. “We’re really happy with them. It’s tough when you have a lead like that to stay focused. Again, they did what they needed to do and played really well.”

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
Non-conference

At Great Bend
City of Great Bend Sports Complex

First game
Great Bend 22, Scott City 0     
                   123     45        R   H  E
SCHS          000      00  —   0    1  6
GBHS          41(13) 4x  —  22  18  0
     Chandra Martin, Audrey Baker & Marissa Morris, Taylor George; Braylin Bretz & Dakota Sanders. W — Bretz (5-0). L — Martin. 2B — Great Bend: Elizabeth Barber. 3B — Great Bend: Dakota Sanders.

Second game
Great Bend 23, Scott City 0
                 12   3  45         R    H    E
SCHS        00    0  00  —    0    0    4
GBHS       7(11)5  0x  —   23  17   2
     Kelsey Kuckelman, Audrey Baker, Chandra Martin & Taylor George, Baker. Hunter Middleton & Hannah Mauler. W — Middleton (5-0). L — Kuckelman. 2B — GB: McKenna Mauler. 3B — Dakota Sanders.