GCHS girls roll by Lady Red, 11-2 in WAC

Story Credit: GCHS Athletics

Welcome back to the Western Athletic Conference.

That might be the sentiment of the Garden City Lady Buffaloes’ softball team and head coach Trina Mai after Tuesday’s 11-2 road win over the Liberal Lady Red.

The Lady Buffs had struggled through a four-game losing streak over the weekend at the Dodge City Softball Classic, but Tuesday’s victory upped the Buffs’ WAC record to 3-0 and they are now 7-8 overall.

The teams will resume their WAC 3-game season series on Thursday at 3 p.m. with a doubleheader at John Ford Field at Tangeman Sports Complex. Liberal falls to 4-9 overall and 0-5 in the WAC.

“There’s always a better feeling after a game when you’re winning,” Mai said afterward. “I just like winning and that’s important for our team.”

It was a pair of 5-run innings that lifted the Buffs to Tuesday’s win and highlighting the victory was freshman pitcher Brylee Hamblin’s 2-hitter where she walked four and recorded 11 strikeouts.

The Lady Buffs offense had 10 hits including triples by Ellie Konrade and Josslynn George. Three players recorded two hits each – Marisol Angeles, Yas Angeles and Elly Ortiz. Konrade had 3 RBIs, Marisol Angeles and George 2 RBIs each.

“We took advantage of Liberal’s mistakes and that’s what you need to do,” Mai said. “Our defense played well and Brylee pitched a very strong game.”

Liberal got on the board in its half of the first but the Buffs came right back with five runs in the top of the second and another five in the third.

In the second, Mia Zarate reached on an error, Ortiz singled and Zayla Peck sacrificed bunted, only to have Liberal commit a throwing error that allowed Zarate and Ortiz to score.

George then reached on another Lady Red miscue, Marisol Angeles was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Konrade tripled to right, scoring George and Marisol Angeles. Samantha Wilder followed with a fly ball and an error by Liberal, scoring Konrade.

In the third inning, Zarate and Peck each reached base on a Liberal error. George tripled to right, scoring both Ortiz (reached on fielder’s choice) and Peck. Marisol Angeles singled to score George.

Konrade then hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Marisol Angeles. The final run came when Wilder singled to score Yas Angeles, who had reached on another Liberal error.

The final Buffs’ run came in the fourth when Marisol Angeles singled to score Ortiz, who had singled. Liberal got its second and final run in the fifth.

“We’re still so young and continuing to grow,” Mai said. “I thought, overall, the effort was much better and it’s always huge when we’re getting RBIs from both the top and bottom of the lineup.”

The Buffs, who struggled defensively over the weekend, committed just one error in the game.

“When you play good defense, it makes everything much easier, especially for your pitcher,” Mai said. “Brylee is understanding how to be a pitcher with each game she throws. She hit her spots well. Her change-up was good.”

With Liberal arriving for Thursday’s doubleheader, Mai expects the Lady Red to compete better.

“I just expect tough games, and we need to be ready to play,” Mai said.

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Western Athletic Conference

Tuesday, April 21

At Liberal

GARDEN CITY 11, LIBERAL 2

Garden City…055…100…0…–…11…10…1

Liberal…100…010…0…–…2…2…11

Pitching—Garden City: Hamblin and Peck; Liberal: Carter and Lyon. 3B–Garden City (Konrade, George).