Garden City Softball Splits With Hays, Settles For Second
Garden City, KS (westernkansasnews.com) The scenario was simple for the Garden City High School softball team Tuesday. Beat Hays in both games and share the WAC crown with Great Bend. The Lady Buffs missed out on their opportunity for first place, but did not let second slip through their fingers as they split the doubleheader with Hays losing 5-1 in game one, but winning 6-1 in game two.
Game One Highlights
In the first game Hannah Herald of Hays was unbelievable. On the mound she allowed just one run on three hits in a complete game win. Herald retired the first twelve she faced and did not allow a hit until the sixth. Garden City’s Dusti Befort (7-4) walked four and struck out three before being relieved in the middle of the second by Abby Dart. Dart had some difficulties giving up a solo homer in the third to Herald and a two run Kaylie Schoendaller. Herald had a three hit game and two RBI’s. She was intentionally walked in the sixth by Dart a move that worked when Schoendaller struck out with the bases loaded in the sixth. Garden City’s only run of the game came in the bottom of the sixth on Jaime Sr. Clair’s RBI single to left scoring Alyssa Long. Hays won 6-1.
Game Two Highlights
Game two the roles were completely reversed. Befort, lifted in the second inning of the first game pitched well and earned a complete game win. Herald on the other hand was pulled in the second just like Befort was in the first game. Garden City scored three in the first on Haley Saldana’s RBI single and a two run dropped pop up by Indians left fielder Emily Peckham who stepped in front of center fielder Julie Balzer on a routine fly ball from Shea Nordby and dropped it.
Garden City allowed their only run of game two in the second inning when Madison Prough singled in Schoendallar. After that hit Befort gave up only one more run the rest of the way. Garden City scored two more runs in the second on a pair of RBI singles from senior Jaime St. Clair in her final regular season home game and one from Befort. Prough stepped in for Herald and threw 4 2/3 innings and gave up a run on five hits.
Garden City finishes a game behind Great Bend in the final WAC standings. The Lady Buffs are 12-7, 6-2 in conference one game behind Great Bend at 7-1. The teams split their doubleheader just a couple of weeks ago. The Lady Buffs should know who they are playing in regionals by the end of the week. Garden City is likely to host a tournament game either next Tuesday or Wednesday.
