BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

HAYS — Great Bend's softball team broke open a 7-5 game with 11 runs for an 18-6 run-rule victory over Hays High in Tuesday's Western Athletic Conference showdown.

Eleven Panthers contributed a base hit, 10 players scored runs and 10 drove home runs.

The Panthers busted the game open in a 6-run fifth inning when Chayla Prendergast (.333) hit a solo homer sandwiched between 2-run homers by Kamryn Koelsch (.353) and Kya Behr (.518).

Alyssa McCauley (.379) drove in three runs. Katherine Mazouch (.431) drove in two runs.

"Our bats were on fire," Behr said. "Coach Shailey Clark did an amazing job scouting Hays, and had good hitting drills Monday to prepare us. Our kids were seeing and adjusting to off-speed stuff."

Another solid night of defense, and just a rough half inning… but we stayed focused, and made it though, i think it lit a Fire within the girls rather than scared them!!

Panther reliever Chayla Prendergast (8-1, 1.22 ERA) yielded five hits and an earned run after starter Braelyn Turner permitted five earned runs with four walks.

The Panthers yielded four walks and hit a batter in a 4-run inning highlighted by Brooklynn Dinkel's 2-run single.

"We answered back with five runs in the fourth and six runs in the fifth," Behr said.

The Panthers (16-1, 6-0 WAC) extend their WAC winning streak to 22 consecutive games. The Panthers return home Thursday for a Hays twin bill in front of rowdy home fans.

"We love our home atmosphere playing for Great Bend fans at our complex," Behr said. "Our super 'foul ball manager' Kanye Cross gives out a tootsie pop for turning in foul balls."

Great Bend 241 56 — 18 20 0

Hays High 014 10 — 6 7 4

Turner, Prendergast (3) and Koelsch. Summers, Becker (65) and Augustine. W—Prendergast, 8-1. L. 2B—GB—Ringo, Hogan; H—Brous, Dinkel. 3B—GB—Post. HR—Prendergast, Behr, Koelsch.

WAC SOFTBALL

Great Bend 6-0 16-1

Garden City 4-0 7-8

Hays High 4-3 7-8

Liberal 0-5 4-9

Dodge City 0-6 1-11

4-21—Great Bend 18, Hays 6; Garden City 11, Liberal 2

4-23—Hays at Great Bend (2); Garden City at Liberal (1); Lakin at Dodge City