GCHS Softball improves to 5-1, splits DH with Hays

Garden City, KS (Western Kansas News) – The start to the season continues to look bright for Garden City as the Lady Buffs started this spring 4-0 before dropping the second of a double header to Hays Tuesday evening.

In a battle of perennial powers, the Lady Buffs and Lady Indians split the difference with Garden City taking the first game 6-5 and Hays taking the second 13-6. The loss, the first of the season for GCHS, moves their overall record to 5-1 (1-1), and the challenges on the schedule don’t end there. After run-ruling the first three opponents of the season (Scott City: 19-3; 15-0 | Goodland: 10-0), and holding a comfortable lead over the Goodland Cowgirls 10-1 in the second of their double header last Friday, the 6-5 victory over Hays proved to be Garden City’s toughest battle for a victory through the first six games of the young season.

GCHS took an early advantage with two runs in the first inning and three runs in the second, before surrendering a score to Hays in the third and making the advantage 5-1 for the Lady Buffs. Garden City would score 6 runs on 12 hits with 2 errors and slamming the door shut on a furious Hays comeback in the sixth inning where the Lady Indians blasted 4 runs home, before being blanked in the final frame.

In the second game, Hays would get the better of Garden City, scoring an emphatic five runs in the bottom of the first before GCHS would tally four runs between the second and third innings to make it a 5-4 game going into the top of the fourth. However, Hays added seven unanswered, three runs in the fourth, one in the fifth, and another three in the sixth, generating 13 runs on 12 hits with 5 errors.

The tough schedule continues for the Lady Buffs as they set to do battle with another perennial power in Derby at 2p on Thursday in Dodge City for the DCHS Softball Classic. Garden City’s schedule during the tournament will be consist of games starting Thursday: Derby, 2p; Northwest, 6p, and Friday: Newton, 12p; Maize South, 4p.