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Panther softball earns split with Indians
spt_hg_Shanaeia Mehlhaff (7) Pitching 4.jpg
Great Bend Panther pitcher Shanaeia Mehlhaff delivers a perfect pitch. - photo by Hugo Gonzalez

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

HOISINGTON — Great Bend's Mehlhaff sisters enjoyed good news and bad news against rival Hays High in Friday's softball doubleheader.

Pitcher Sarah Mehlhaff (3-1) struck out seven batters and threw a nifty three-hit shutout in the nightcap as the Panthers salvaged a split. Shanaeia Mehlhaff (6-4) was tagged with the 8-3 loss in the opener.

Great Bend (9-5, 4-2 WAC) plays at Garden City (10-0, 4-0 WAC) April 25.

HAYS HIGH 8, GREAT BEND 3 (G1) — Hays High's McKinley Wamser and Jaysa Wichers homered to spark the Indians. 

Aleah Urban homered to ignite a three-run first inning off Hays pitcher Wichers. Shailey Clark doubled home Mara Fletchall and Clark scored on a passedball for a 3-0 lead.

Wichers homered and after MacKenzie Fagan singled, Wamser homered for a 3-3 tie after two innings. Wamser gave the Indians the lead with an RBI sacrifice fly in the third. Madelyn Waddell hit an RBI single and Wichers doubled home two runs for a 7-3 lead. Fagan added a sacrifice fly.

GREAT BEND 5 HAYS HIGH 0 (G2) — Panther Kaylee Unruh delivered a two-run double that ignited a three-run fifth inning.

Shailey Clark singled home Jenna Mauler in the first inning.  Clark scored a fourth-inning run when McKayla Williams' groundball was misplayed.

Mauler reached base on a fifth-inning error to start a three-run inning. Shanaeia Mehlhaff reached base when her bunt was misplayed. Kaylee Unruh doubled home Mauler and Shanaeia Mehlhaff. McKayla Williams singled home pinch runner Alyssa Keller for a 5-0 lead. 

Sarah Mehlhaff retired Fagan on a groundout to strand the bases loaded in the sixth inning.

Great Bend 300 000 0 — 3 6 2

Hays High 031 004 x — 8 9 2

Shanaeia Mehlhaff, Sarah Mehlhaff (5) and Kaylee Unruh. L—Shanaeia Mehlhaff 6-4. 2B—GB—Sarah Mehlhaff, Shanaeia Mehlhaff, Mauler, Clark; H—Altman. HR—GB—Urban; H—Wamser, Wichers.

Great Bend 100 130 0 — 5 8 3

Hays High 000 000 0 — 0 3 2

Sarah Mehlhaff and Kaylee Unruh. Wichers and Fagan. W—Sarah Mehlhaff, 3-1. L—. 2B—GB—Mauler, K. Unruh.