By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post
HAYS - Hays High opened Western Athletic Conference play with a single home game against Dodge City on Tuesday. The Indians were last year's league champions with an 11-1 mark. Each of the teams in the conference play a three series.
Hays High junior Riley Dreher struck out 15 batters on the way to a 4-2 victory for the Indians. She also helped out her own cause by hitting a solo home run.
The Indians put pressure on the Red Demon defense early. Dezarae Schmidt was hit by a pitch to lead of the bottom of the first inning. She came around to score when Dani Willeford laid down a sacrifice bunt. The throw went well past first base allowing Schmidt to scored and Willeford to advance to third. Dreher doubled the lead up with a single on the next at bat for a 2-0 advantage.
The Indians scored another run in the bottom of the second when Dodge City committed five errors. Alyse Zimmerman scored in the inning for a 3-0 lead.
Dreher led off the third inning with a solo home run for the Indians' final run of the game. It was her first home run of the season and the first for the team as well.
Dreher kept Dodge City off balance all evening. Out of the 21 outs recorded she struck out 15. The Red Demons recorded two runs in the top of the fourth. Both runs scored with two outs. First a pop up landed for a double after being pushed by the 40 mile per hour wind to score a run. Then a single to right center field cut the lead in half at 4-2.
Dodge City threatened in the top of the sixth inning with a pair of singles but left the runners stranded.
Hays improves to 1-2, 1-0. Dodge City drops to 2-1, 0-1. The same two teams meet up for a double header in Dodge City on Thursday.