LARNED — The Great Bend High School baseball team kicked their offense into high gear on Thursday, closing out the regular season with a sweep of Larned.
The Panthers won the first game 8-2, and the second game 8-4.
“I felt like we finally put it all together,” GBHS head coach Randy Beck said. “We came out and competed well at the plate the whole game. We pounded out a lot of hits. After the first couple of innings, we started hitting the ball well when we had runners in scoring position.”
In Game 1, Great Bend’s offense, which had 15 hits, struck first.
Dillon Reiser, who went 4-for-5 in the game, led the inning off with a triple. He scored on a fly ball to center field by Brady Michel.
“Dillon and Bryce Beck had a big night at the plate,” Randy Beck said. “They were both 4-for-5 in Game 1. They both made the most of their at-bats.”
Great Bend left 13 runners on in the game.
Larned got the run back in the bottom of the third.
Isiah Perez hit an RBI single, plating Landon Erway.
In the bottom of the fifth, Larned’s Mason Schartz hit a liner to center field, and Trey Kraisinger was able to score from first base after an outfielder bobbled the ball before throwing it in.
The Panthers reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth.
Logan Zecha led things off with an infield single, followed by a pair of bunt singles, putting Bryce Beck and Shade Wondra on base.
Matt Zecha hit a fly ball to left field, scoring Logan Zecha, and Dillon Reiser had a two-out, two-run single, making it 4-2. Another run scored on an error, making it 5-2.
Beck led off the top of the seventh with a single, followed by a bunt single from Wondra and an RBI single from Matt Zecha.
Reiser drove in another two runs with another single, capping his day with four RBIs and making the final score 7-2.
Tristan Hall started on the mound, going five innings and allowing four hits and seven walks. He had five strikeouts in the win.
In Game 2, Great Bend jumped out to a 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third.
Larned scored single runs in the third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but couldn’t rally to beat Great Bend.
The Panthers managed 14 hits, led by Bryce Beck and Wondra, who both went 3-for-5.
Reiser blasted in three runs, giving him a twinbill total of seven RBIs.
Matt Zecha had a pair of RBIs, and Anson Hall drove in one run.
Bryce Beck was Great Bend’s starting pitcher in the second game, going six innings. He scattered 11 hits and had one walk. He had eight strikeouts.
Wondra came on in relief in both games, coming away with a pair of saves.