Missed opportunities was the theme of the night for a young and inexperienced Hays High softball team on Thursday. After having games washed out on three separate dates, the Indians took the field for the first time since March 16th. Dodge City ran their winning streak to five games as they swept Hays 14-3 and 9-8.
Dodge City jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game one and expanded that lead to 8-0 after the second inning. Hays had two runners aboard in the bottom of both innings but did not score. Hays opened the bottom of the first with two runners aboard and nobody out, but Dodge City got a double play on a soft pop up to the short stop. The Indians got runners to second and third in the second inning, but again could not push across a run.
Dodge City scored in each of the first four innings, adding a single run in the third and a second five run inning in the fourth. Down 14-0 heading the bottom of the fourth inning, Hays scored their first run of the game on a RBI double by Brooke Denning. Hays added two more in the bottom of the fifth on a passed ball and then an RBI single by Macee Altman. The three runs were not enough though to hold off the game to be ended by run rule after five innings at 14-3.
Coach Erin Wagner
Game two proved to be much better for Hays, but missed opportunities cost the Indians. Hays scored two runs in the first inning only to see Dodge City put up four in the second. All four runs came with two outs. Hays answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to tie the game at four. Dodge City again answered. In the top of the fourth, the Red Demons took the lead on a sacrifice fly to center field and followed that with a two run home run, taking a 7-4 run.
It was the Indian’s turn to answer. Jaysa Wichers’ double in the bottom of the fourth scored MacKenzie Fagan. Hays regained the lead an inning later on a Cassidy Prough single, Macee Altman double and a Wichers’ single to go up 8-7. Dodge City took advantage of a passed ball to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning and on the same at bat scored the decisive run on a single to right field. Hays put the tying run onto third base in each the sixth and seventh inning, but came up short. The game ended as Wichers sent a deep drive to left center field where a running catch was made for the final out.
Highlights
Dodge City scored seven of their nine runs with two outs. Hays stranded 12 runners and had the bases loaded in each the third, fourth and fifth innings.
Hays falls to 2-2 on the season and opens WAC play at 0-2. Dodge City is now 5-1 and 2-0. Hays is in Goddard for a triangular on Wednesday and hosts Great Bend next Thursday.