MCPHERSON — When Great Bend softball coach Carrie Minton heard the Panthers had a chance of earning a rematch with unbeaten 4A McPherson on a recent radio show, it immediately raised her blood pressure.
Sure enough, Minton's instincts were accurate when Newton surprised the Panthers 13-8 to prevent a rematch with McPherson. The Bullpups routed Newton 10-0 in Friday's McPherson Quad title game. The Panthers salvaged a 9-0 victory over Junction City.
The Panthers (19-5) are tied for third best 5A West record with a home twin bill against Newton scheduled Thursday.
NEWTON 13, PANTHERS 8 (G1) — Newton (9-13) showed plenty of offensive firepower, scoring five earned runs against Panther Chayla Prendergast and four earned runs off reliever Alyssa McCauley. The Panthers trailed 7-0 and 13-2.
The Panthers fueled Newton's 13-run attack with seven walks and six errors that led to four unearned runs.
Newton's Arica Kern ripped a 3-run double and drove home four runs with four hits. Mackenzie Rains, Chavi Krehbiel and Regan Hirsh drove in runs. Newton scored four runs on Panther errors.
Kya Behr (.549) stayed red hot with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBI. Prendergast drilled a 2-run third-inning homer.
Katherine Mazouch and Behr scored on a fifth-inning error. Ava Carter scored on Mazouch's groundout to start a 4-run sixth. Denver Ringo and Prendergast scored on Behr's double. Bryant singled in Behr.
PANTHERS 9, JUNCTION CITY 0 (G2) — Prendergast (12-3, 2.89 ERA) rallied from a rare off game with 31/3 shutout innings and four strikeouts. Callie Umphres threw 22/3 shutout innings.
Camdyn Post (.440) tripled, scored two runs and drove in two runs with three hits. Behr doubled and drove in three runs.
Kamryn Koelsch drove home two runs. Mazouch drove in one run.
Newton 232 060 0 — 13 15 3
Great Bend 002 024 0 — 8 9 6
Rose, Wharton (6) and Kern. Prendergast, McCauley (5) and Koelsch. W—Rose. L—Prendergast, 11-3. 2B—GB—Behr 2; N—Kern, Rains, Hirsh. HR—GB—Prendergast.
Junction City 000 000 0 — 0 2 1
Great Bend 130 122 x — 9 11 0
Miller and Benoit. Prendergast, Umphres (4) and Koelsch. W—Prendergast, 12-3. L—Miller. 2B—GB—Behr 2, Koelsch. 3B—GB—Post, Mazouch.
PANTHER PITCHING—Prendergast 12-3, 2.89, 39 ER-94.1 IP; McCauley 5-1, 5.90 ERA, 27 ER-32 IP; Turner 2-1, 4.59 ERA, 7 ER-102/3 IP; Umphres 0-2.2, 0.00 ERA
PANTHER BATTING—Behr .549, 45-82; 28 R, 48 RBI, 17-2B, 1-3B, 1 HR; McCauley, .476, 39-82; 17 R, 10 RBI, 10-2B, 3-HR; Mazouch .464, 39-84; 6-2B, 3-3B, 3-HR; Bryant .453, 39-86; 30 R, 34 RBI, 10-2B, 1-3B, 5-HR; Post .440, 33-75; 40 R, 19 RBI, 4-2B, 1-3B; Koelsch .358, 29-81; 12 RBI, 7-2B, 1-HR; Umphres .354, 28-79; 19 R, 15 RBI, 5-2B; Ringo .300, 21-70; 14 R, 9 RBI, 4-2B; Prendergast .250, 16-64; 14 RBI; 4-2B; 2-HR
5A SOFTBALL WEST—1—Maize South 26-0; 2—Wichita Carroll 16-4; 3—Great Bend 19-5; 3—Salina Central 19-5; 5—Salina South 18-6; 6—Topeka Seaman 17-7; 7—Hays High 14-9; 8—Andover High 15-11; 9—Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel 13-10; 10—Valley Center 12-11; 11—Goddard Eisenhower 10-14; 12—Newton 9-13; 13—Andover Central 8-14; 13—Emporia 8-14; 13—Topeka West 8-14; 16—Goddard 6-16; 17—Hutchinson 7-19; 18—Arkansas City 5-15
