Hays Post
HAYS - Hays High entered their final three-game Western Athletic Conference series of the season by hosting Liberal in a doubleheader on Tuesday.
The Indians entered the week as the conference leaders.
Game 1: Hays 15, Liberal 0 (3 innings)
Hays plated seven runs in the first, two in the second and six in the third to take game one 15-0.
Six of the Indians runs in the first inning came with two outs. Hays sent 12 to plate in that inning.
Starting pitcher Aubree Thomas(6-2) faced the minimum in the first and third innings. Liberal loaded the bases in the second with one out. Thomas ended the inning with back-to-back strikeouts. She struck out seven and walked two. Liberal did not record a hit.
Each of the nine players in the batting lineup for Hays recorded at least one hit. Dani Willeford, Riley Dreher, Lakyn Zimmerman, Haley Rees and Lauren Klein each had multiple hits. The Indians recorded 15 hits. Avery Solida, Rees and Dreher each doubled. Dreher added a triple.
Game 2: Hays 13, Liberal 3 (5 innings)
Like in game one, Hays ended the second game of the double header early with a run-rule 13-3 victory.
Liberal touched home plate first with a single run in the top of the second inning. Hays jumped to the lead by scoring five runs in the bottom of the same inning.
Hays extended their lead to 13-1 with four runs in each the bottom of the third and fourth innings. Liberal nearly extended the game with two runs in the top of the fifth, but left a runner at third base when the game ended on a strikeout.
Riley Dreher(7-4) took the victory pitching all five innings. She allowed six hits, three runs (two earned), walked one and struck out six.
The Indians drew seven walks in the victory and were hit by three pitches. Hays recorded seven hits. Lakyn Zimmerman and Aubree Thomas each had two hits. Thomas and Dani Willeford both drove in four runs in the victory. Riley Dreher knocked in a pair of runs as well.
Hays has claimed the WAC softball crown for a second consecutive year. At the moment they have a minimum share of the title. They can win it outright in Liberal on Thursday. Hays improves to 14-7, 10-1. Liberal falls to 5-14, 0-7.