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Panther softball sweeps Buffaloes
Paige Thexton
Great Bend Panther Paige Thexton scores a run. - photo by JIM MISUNAS Great Bend Tribune

BY JIM MISUNAS

jmisunas@gbtribune.com

If you're wondering how well Great Bend's softball team is hitting, ask coach Carrie Minton.

Minton safely ducked and dived from Kamryn Koelsch's multiple line drives in Thursday's sweep over Garden City.

Minton? She's safe. 

Garden City on the other hand is shell shocked after the WAC softball runner-up dominated 16-1 and 12-0. Great Bend (17-5, 10-2 WAC) owns the third-best 5A West record to move into position to secure a home 5A playoff berth. 

PANTHERS 16, GARDEN CITY 1 (G1) — Great Bend's offense made the Buffaloes pay for a trio of errors with 14 unearned runs highlighted by a season best 15-run third inning with southeast winds blowing from 15 to 25 mph.

Katherine "Kit Kat" Mazouch delivered the game-ending hit and delivered three consecutive singles in the 15-run frame. Camdyn Post drove home three runs and scored twice. Paige Thexton, Halle Post, Alyssa McCauley and Denver Ringo each drove in two runs. DeShawnna Bryant and Kamryn Koelsch drove in runs. 

Thexton, Camdyn Post, McCauley and Ringo each drilled 2-RBI hits in the third inning.

Pitcher Thexton (2-0, .0.91 ERA) stranded six baserunners in three innings.

Garden City's Piper Harris singled home Isabella Wilder in the second inning.

PANTHERS 12, GARDEN CITY 0 (G2) —Great Bend pitchers Braelyn Turner (6-3, 3.33 ERA) and Chayla Prendergast (8-2, 4.51 ERA) shut out the Buffaloes (5-11, 2-6 WAC) with a 2-hitter.

Koelsch led the offense with a pair of triples and three runs batted home. Thexton, Camdyn Post, Behr and Ava Kaiser also drove home runs. The Panthers drilled 11 hits and a trio of extra-base hits. Garden City's six errors handed the Panthers extra baserunners and additional bases.

Garden City 010 — 1 4 3

Great Bend 01(15)— 16 13 0

Whitehurst and Ortiz. Thexton and Koelsch. W—Thexton, 1-0. L—Whitehurst, 5-10. 2B—GB—Thexton, Behr, Bryant; GC—Almanza. 

Garden City 000 00 — 0 2 6

Great Bend 251 5x— 12 11 0

Whitehurst and Ortiz. Turner, Prendergast (4) and Koelsch. W—Turner, 6-3. L—Whitehurst, 5-11. 2B—GB—Turner, Behr. 3B—GB—Koelsch 2.

5A WEST—Maize South 19-3, Wichita Carroll 15-3, Great Bend 17-5, Valley Center 13-5, Topeka Seaman 13-5, Andover Central 12-6, Hays High 11-6, Salina South 11-7, Goddard Eisenhower 11-7, Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel 11-7, Goddard 9-9, Arkansas City 9-9, Newton 6-10, Salina Central 6-12, Andover High 7-15, Emporia 5-11, Topeka West 3-15, Hutchinson 2-18

WAC SOFTBALL

Hays 8-1 10-6

Great Bend 10-2 17-5

Garden City 2-6 5-11

Liberal 0-5 4-12

Dodge City 0-6 2-16

MONDAY—Hays 10-10, Garden City 1-1

TUESDAY—Great Bend 4, Garden City 1; Pratt 10-13, Dodge City 3-3

THURSDAY—Great Bend 16-12, Garden City 1-0; Hays 20, TMP 5

FRIDAY—Hays at Salina Central 

HAYS HIGH (8-1, 10-6)—LL Valley Center 1-13, 5-11; WWW Dodge City 4-2, 10-4, 13-3; W Garden City 7-4; L Derby 2-14; W Wichita NW 5-2; L Eisenhower 2-3, L Maize South 1-13; W Great Bend 3-1; WL Great Bend 11-8, 3-13; 4-22 at Garden City; L TMP 20-5; 4-26 at Salina Central; 4-30 Liberal (2); 5-2 at Liberal (1); 5-7 Salina South, Andover Central; 5-9 at Manhattan, Salina South

GREAT BEND (10-2, 17-5)—WW Pratt 5-3, 5-1; WW Hutchinson 17-5, 14-4; W McPherson 8-6; L Manhattan 1-4; WWW Liberal 16-2, 15-4, 15-0; WW Dodge City 15-3, 8-0; W Dodge City 4-1; L Goddard Eisenhower 4-9, L Maize South 5-10; W Derby 9-8, W Wichita NW 13-3; L Hays 1-3; WL Hays 13-3, 8-11; WWW Garden City 4-1;  16-1, 12-0; 5-7 Hays TMP 

GARDEN CITY (2-6, 5-11)—WW Wichita North 20-0, 15-0; WL Goodland 8-0, 4-9; L Hays 4-7; L Wichita NW 4-5; L Derby 1-14; L Eisenhower 1-2 L Maize South 0-13; WW Liberal 7-3; 14-4; LL Hays High 0-16; 2-21; LLL Great Bend 1-4;  1-16; 0-12; 4-26 Wichita Southeast; 4-30 Dodge City (2); 5-2 Dodge City (1); 5-3 at Scott City; 5-9 at Topeka; 5-10 Liberal    

LIBERAL (0-5, 4-12)—WW Bucklin 11-1, 14-6; L Hesston 0-1; L Kingman 5-12; LLL Great Bend 2-16, 4-15, 0-15; WW Wichita North 5-0, 25-3; L Maize 0-11, L McPherson 0-14; LL Hugoton 1-6, 3-4; LL Garden City 3-7, 4-14; 4-25 at Cimarron, ppd.; 4-30 at Hays (2); 5-2 Hays (1); 5-7 at Dodge City (1); 5-9 Dodge City (2); 5-10 Garden City (1)

DODGE CITY (0-6, 2-16)—WW Wichita South 16-0, 22-2; LLL Hays 2-4, 4-10, 3-13, LLL Great Bend 3-15, 0-8, 1-4; L Goddard Eisenhower 0-10; L Maize South 0-6; L Derby 0-14, L Wichita Northwest 0-7; LL Salina Central 2-13, 2-20; LL TMP 8-9, 0-10; LL Pratt 3-10; 3-13; 4-30 Garden City (2); 5-2 Garden City (1); 5-7 Liberal (1); 5-9 at Liberal (2); 5-10 at Wichita Heights