BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

HUTCHINSON — When Great Bend baseball coach Mike Stettinger waved back-to-back batters to first base, he showed confidence in reliever Jaxon Wondra with the game-winning runner on base.

Wondra shook off a pair of wild pitches and struck out Landon Haugsness and Merrick Brotzman with overpowering fastballs to preserve a 4-4 tie.

The Panthers scored four eighth-inning runs for an 8-4 opening victory. Great Bend earned a sweep 9-1 in the second game.

PANTHERS 8, HUTCHINSON 4 (G1) — Hutchinson led 3-0 with pitcher Brodie McCaun throwing five shutout innings. 

Gabe Valadez's double scored JuJu Lyons and Devaughn Embers scored on a third-inning throwing error. Hit batter Brotzman scored on Griff Davenport's groundout following a steal and wild pitch for  3-0 lead.

Trent Kern's sixth-inning ground-rule double ignited the Panthers, who scored seven runs in the final three innings. Chavez singled home Kern.

Hutchinson's four errors and a pair of misplayed bunts gift wrapped a 2-run seventh inning. Pinch runner Alcala scored on an error and Jaden Prilling scored on Koehn Ribordy's sacrifice fly for a 4-3 lead.

McCaun scored on a wild pitch for a 4-4 tie.

A bases-loaded walk, Ribordy's RBI single, a bases-loaded hit by pitch and Trent Kern's sacrifice fly to first base delivered four eighth-inning runs.

PANTHERS 9, HUTCHINSON 1 (G2) — Great Bend crafty pitcher Rafael Chavez (1-0) yielded one run in four innings.

Great Bend 000 001 24 — 8 9 2

Hutchinson 002 100 10 — 4 5 5

Minton, Prilling (5), Jaxon Wondra (7) and J. Wondra. McCaun, Wilson (6) and Lyons. W—J. Wondra, 1-0. L—Wilson, 0-1. 2B—GB—Trenton Kern, Dreiling, Gavin Wondra; H—Valadez.

Great Bend 112 401 — 9 10 1

Hutchinson 000 100 — 1 1 5

Chavez, Contreras (5) and J. Wondra. Lyons, Davenport (4), Embers (5) and Brotzman. W—Chavez, 1-0. L—Lyons, 0-1. 3B—GB—Minton.