MCPHERSON — Once Great Bend pitcher Carson Umphres earned a first-game save, he was on cruise control against No. 1 ranked 4A McPherson. No. 4 5A state-ranked Great Bend (11-4) dropped McPherson to 14-2.
PANTHERS 15, MCPHERSON 0 (G2) — Umphres threw a 2-hitter and struck out five batters in 32/3 innings. Koehn Ribordy recorded the final out.
The Panthers roared to a 15-0 lead thanks to eight walks and four hit batters.
Umphres doubled and Kern singled him home in the first inning. A hit batter (Wondra) and two walks (Jace Schartz, Slade Mohr) paved the way for a 5-run second inning.
Umphres singled home pinch runner Eli Soupiset and Schartz. Mohr scored on Premer's line drive that was misplayed. Kern singled home Minton and Premer for a 6-0 lead after two frames
.A trio of walks and a hit batter gift wrapped two third-inning Panther runs. Soupiset scored on a Umphres single. Premer's bases-loaded walk forced home Mohr.
A 7-run fourth inning was started by Schartz's RBI single. Mohr and Ribordy each delivered 2-run singles.
PANTHERS 4, EMPORIA 3 (G1) — Reliever Carson Umphres delivered a clutch save when shortstop Daxton Minton started a game-clinching double play.
Emporia's Madden Seidl popped out to Minton with runners on third and second base. Minton relayed to third baseman Trenton Kern, who trapped Chase Harrington off base for the final out.
Jaxon Wondra scored the go-ahead sixth-inning run on Minton's sacrifice fly.
Emporia's Owen Ruge scored on Owen Kaiser's fourth walk of the first inning. The Panthers responded with a 3-run first inning. Ian Premer's 2-run homer scored Minton after a single. Kaiser's double scored Koehn Ribordy for a 3-1 lead.
Emporia tied the score 3-3 off two unearned runs. M Seidl scored on Andrew Ruxton's single. Luke Pitman scored on Chase Harrington's single.
Emporia 001 100 0 — 3 3 0
Great Bend 300 001 x — 4 9 3
Harrington, Ruxton (4) and Howe. Kaiser and Ribordy. W—Herrman. L—Ruxton, 2-2. SV—Umphres. 2B—GB—Kaiser, Premer, Wondra; E—Ruxton. HR—GB—Premer.
Great Bend 152 7— 15 9 1
McPherson 000 0 — 0 2 2
Umphres and Wondra. Strathman, Doile (3), Barnett (3), Huggard (4) and Allen. W—Umphres. L—Stratman 2B—GB—Umphres.
WAC BASEBALL
Hays High 7-1 8-4
Great Bend 5-2 11-3
Dodge City 1-4 6-7
Liberal 2-3 5-11
Garden City 1-5 3-9
4-22—Hays 13-11, Dodge City 3-6; Great Bend 4, Emporia 3; Great Bend 15, McPherson 0; Liberal 9, Garden City 8
4-25—Hays vs. KC Piper, Spring Hill; Dodge City at Wichita Heights; Liberal at Cimarron
4-26—Great Bend vs. St. Thomas Aquinas, Gardner Edgerton
