OLATHE — Great Bend discovered the quality of softball at the Sunflower Softball Challenge is state-caliber. The Panthers lost to defending 6A state champion Olathe Northwest 14-4 and 6A state qualifier Olathe North 15-0.
The Panthers were outscored 48-7 and finished with an 0-4 record after losing two games Friday.
The Panthers (4-6, 2-0 WAC) will play at Dodge City (8-2, 2-0 WAC) Tuesday — a doubleheader that will carry WAC title implications.
Great Bend’s spectacular leadoff hitter Aleah Urban raised her average to .630 after three hits against SM Northwest. Urban has generated nine extra-base hits and leads the Panthers in runs scored and runs batted in from the leadoff spot. Urban finished the weekend with a .563 average.
OLATHE NORTHWEST 14, GREAT BEND 4 — Shailey Clark’s two-run homer off pitcher Jaycee Dehon ignited a three-run Panther rally and sparked the Panthers bats. Jenna Mauler doubled and scored on Kaylee Unruh’s fourth-inning double.
Jenna Mauler’s RBI single scored Olivia Urban, but baserunners Aleah Urban and Clark were thrown out on the bases in a wild fifth inning. Urban was thrown attempting to steal. Centerfielder Shayna Espy threw out Clark on Baylee Beck’s flyout.
MacKenzie Klaus sparked the Ravens with a grand slam homer off reliever Shanaeia Mehlhaff. The Revans’ ended the game on Loren Beggs’ RBI double for a 10-run lead.
Jordan Richards and Karisa Boeschen hit RBI singles and Shayna Espy and Emily Bowman scored in a four-run first inning. Bowman’s two-run double and Beggs’ RBI delivered four second-inning runs. Espy’s RBI single handed the Ravens a 9-0 lead.
LAWRENCE 10, GREAT BEND 1 — Aleah Urban broke up a shutout by pitcher Zoe Brewer with a sixth-inning bunt single followed by Shailey Clark’s hit-by-pitch. Urban stole third base and scored on a throwing error by Lion catcher Morgan Husman.
Lawrence High pitcher Brewer showed no signs of triskaidekaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th) with 13 strikeouts. Clark’s fourth-inning single broke up a no-hitter by Brewer.
Lawrence’s Angelina Harjo homered for the Lions’ first run to spark a five-run second inning. Sydney Delfelder singled home two runs and Kate Williams scored on a passed ball and Chandler Guffey scored on an error for a 5-0 lead.
Three Panther errors gift-wrapped Lawrence’s four-run third inning. All four runs scored without a run batted in. Harjo singled home Brewer for the Lions’ 10th run.
SM NORTHWEST 9, GREAT BEND 2 — Great Bend’s softball team led SM Northwest 2-1 for four innings before the Cougars pulled away for a 9-2 victory.
Aleah Urban delivered two doubles and scored both runs. Urban doubled, stole third base and scored on Shailey Clark’s first-inning groundout. She doubled and scored when Clark’s groundball was misplayed in the third inning.
Northwest’s Jennka Bultman drove home the Cougars’ first run. Bultman and MacKenzie Cooper drove home runs in a four-run fifth inning started by two singles, a walk and an error.
The Cougars’ Kaitlyn Pauli, Emily Wells, Bultman and Cooper delivered RBIs in a four-run sixth inning.
OLATHE NORTH 15, GREAT BEND 0 — Aleah Urban singled and Calee McMullen singled for the Panthers’ base hits.
Olathe North’s Lauren Roberts homered twice and Allie Stipsits also homered. Haley Hatfield doubled home two runs and Hannah Schmidt doubled home a run.
Great Bend 000 31 — 4 6 0
Olathe NW 441 05 — 14 15 1
Sarah Mehlhaff, Shanaeia Mehlhaff (4) and Clark. Dehon and Richards. W—Dehon. L—Sarah Mehlhaff, 1-1. 2B—GB—Mauler, Kaylee Unruh; GB—NW—Bowman, Beggs. HR—NW—Klaus.
Great Bend 000 001 0 — 1 2 5
Lawrence 054 001 x — 10 8 2
Shanaeia Mehlhaff, Sarah Mehlhaff (6) and Unruh. Brewer and Husman. W—Brewer. L—Shanaeia Mehlhaff, 3-3. HR—L—Harjo.
Great Bend 101 000 0 — 2 5 3
SM NW 000 144 x — 9 12 1
Shanaeia Mehlhaff, Sarah Mehlhaff (6) and Unruh. W—Bultman. L—Shanaeia Mehlhaff, 3-2. 2B—GB—Aleah Urban 2, Williams; NW—Gude, Wells, Cooper.
Great Bend 000 0 — 0 2 1
Olathe North 106 8 — 15
Shanaeia Mehlhaff and Unruh. W—Dean. L—Shanaeia Mehlhaff, 3-1. 2B—GB—McMullen; ON—Jayme, Schmidt, Hatfield. HR—ON—Roberts 2, Stipsits.
WESTERN ATHLETIC GIRLS
Dodge City 2-0 8-2
Great Bend 2-0 4-6
Garden City 0-0 0-4
Liberal 0-2 5-3
Hays High 0-2 3-5
THURSDAY, APRIL 12
Dodge City 18-8, 17-5 Wichita Heights
Olathe North 15, Great Bend 0
SM Northwest 9, Great Bend 2
FRIDAY, APRIL 13
Lawrence 10, Great Bend 1
Olathe NW 14, Great Bend 4
Garden City 12-6, 15-3 Valley Center
TUESDAY
Colby at Hays High
Great Bend at Dodge City
Liberal at Garden City
