Great Bend Post
Many Lady Panthers were seeing their first varsity action, committing nine errors, when the Great Bend High School softball team dropped a 16-4 game to McPherson in the first doubleheader of the season. Friday night, a more experienced squad had the opportunity to avenge that loss. Instead, the Lady Bullpups pulled off a 12-2 win. Great Bend rebounded with a 13-5 takedown of Junction City.
McPherson scored four runs in the first and eight runs in the first three innings to lead 8-2. The Bullpups tacked on some extra runs in the fourth and fifth innings to end the game early.
Great Bend scored both runs off another big hit from Katherine Mazouch. The freshman doubled-in Paige Thexton, then came around to score on an error. That was the lone extra-base hit in the loss for the Panthers. Thexton provided two of the team's five hits.
Thexton and Alyssa McCauley each pitched two innings. Thexton allowed three earned runs in the start, striking out one and allowing four hits. McCauley struck out two and allowed five earned runs on six hits.
A 7-run fifth sealed the win for Great Bend in the late game against Junction City. The Panthers led 3-0 after two innings, and the Jays scored three of their five runs in their final at bat.
The Panthers banged out 13 hits, including home runs from Thexton and McCauley. Thexton stayed hot with three hits and a walk, finishing with three RBIs and three runs. Ava Kaiser doubled twice and walked twice, driving in three and scoring twice. DeShawnna Bryant, Denver Ringo, and Halle Post each singled twice.
McCauley went the distance in the circle, striking out three and allowing two earned runs on eight hits.
Great Bend takes an 8-10 record into Tuesday's regular-season finale against TMP at the Sports Complex.