The Lady Panther softball team got some late-game heroics from Katherine Mazouch in game one against Hutchinson Friday at the Sports Complex. The Salthawks were still able to steal a 6-5 win in extra innings, but Great Bend bounced back in game two to win 17-6.
Hutchinson led 5-0 after five at bats in game one. The Lady Panthers scratched across a pair of runs in the fifth but still trailed 5-2 with one down in the bottom of the seventh. Analiz Rivas and Denver Ringo singled to set up Mazouch's 3-run, game-tying home run. Outs came fast in the extra frames, and Hutchinson's home run in the ninth inning proved to be the difference.
Mazouch was an offensive force with four of the 12 Great Bend hits, including the big home run. Paige Thexton and DeShawnna Bryant each singled twice. Thexton went all nine innings in the circle, striking out 10 but allowing six earned runs on 10 hits and walking five.
Hits came freely in game two as the sides combined for 36 hits. Great Bend accounted for 24 of those hits, including eight doubles. The result was a 6-run first inning and seven more in the sixth to end the game early with the first win of the season.
Halle Post led the way with four hits, all singles, and three RBIs. Bryant doubled for two of her three hits, and Ringo also doubled twice and singled. Rivas, Mazouch, Kamryn Koelsch, and Alyssa McCauley each doubled and singled twice.
Braelyn Turner picked up the win in the circle, throwing all six innings and allowing six earned runs on 12 hits. She struck out seven and walked three.
The Lady Panthers move to 1-3 overall with a game at Liberal next Tuesday. Great Bend will host the Lady 'Skins in a double-dip on April 6.