By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post
HAYS, Kan. – It had been nearly two weeks since the Hays High softball team played a competitive game. Thursday the Indians rattled off 25 runs and 34 hits in victories of Salina-Sacred Heart and Thomas More Prep-Marian iat the TMP Sports Complex.
Hays 9, Sacred Heart 4
Freshman pitcher Jaysa Wichers gave up single runs in four different innings but limited the damage in each inning to pick up her third win of the season. Hays struck for three runs in the first and four runs in the third to take a firm hold of the game at 7-4. Wichers allowed six hits and four runs while striking out seven and walking just three.
Hays pounded out fourteen hits with six players collecting multiple hits, led by Kaitlyn Brown with three. Tessa Stickel, Albany Schaffer and Brown each scored twice, while Nicole Dinkel drove in two runs.
Highlights
Hays 16, TMP 10
TMP took a 2-0 lead after the first two innings, scoring on two passed balls. Hays then erupted for six runs in the top of the fourth sending ten to the plate. In the inning, the Indians recorded six hits and a walk before the second out was ever recorded.
The Monarchs got a single run back in the bottom of the third on a two out RBI double by Bailey Lacy, scoring Emily Schulte. Hays got the run back in the fourth when Nicole Dinkel scored on a wild pitch. Hays loaded the bases in the fourth inning but was held without another run when Bailey Lacy induced a ground out after replacing starting pitcher Alison Helgit.
The Indians pushed their lead as 13 following a five run sixth innings, again putting ten to the plate. This time Hays scored five runs on five hits highlighted by a two-RBI double from Albany Schaffer and a RBI double from Nicole Dinkel. Hays took a 16-3 lead after the top half of the sixth inning.
TMP needed four runs to stave off the run-rule to end the game. The Monarchs scored seven. Indian’s freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Brown cruised through five innings allowing just three runs on three hits. However in the sixth inning she walked four while TMP collected four hits capped by a two-RBI triple from Brianna Romme. Brown though settled down and retired four of the next five batters to give Hays the 16-10 win. Brown picked up her third win of the season.
Coach Erin Wagner
Hays tallied 20 hits in the victory and capitalized on six Monarch errors. Madison Prough led the way with four hits. Tessa Stickel, Nicole Dinkel, and Kaitlyn Brown each at three. Brown ended the night with six base hits total which equaled the number of hits she had through the first ten games of the season.
With the victory Hays is now 6-6 on the season. TMP beat Sacred Heart 3-2 in nine innings in the first game of the night. The two losses drops Sacred Heart to 7-7 on the season. With the split TMP is 11-5.