The Great Bend High School baseball team jumped out to an 8-0 lead against Hays High School in the opening round of the Diamond Classic and held on for the 8-6 win Thursday night in Hays.
The victory marks the sixth straight win for Great Bend (12-3) and the Panthers went 2-1 against the Indians in the regular season.
Great Bend scored five runs in the third inning, all with two outs. Sage Koelsch hit a 3-run home run in the fifth inning to give the Panthers the 8-0 lead.
Hays would would score one in the fifth inning and plate five in the sixth to tighten the game up. With Hays runners at first and second base in the bottom of the seventh inning, Chayse Gruber struck out Noah Weimer for the final out of the game.
Stef Spray (4-0) earned the win, pitching five innings while giving up six hits, three walks and recording a strikeout.
Koelsch, Tyler Stuhlsatz and Brad Beck all had two hits for Great Bend.
The Panthers play Life Prep Academy Friday in Hays at 3 p.m. followed by Wichita-Trinity at 5:15 p.m. Great Bend closes the Diamond Classic against Manhattan on Saturday at 1:45 p.m. All remaining games will be broadcast on Great Bend Post.