HAYS - Hays High softball finished up their regular season schedule by hosting Manhattan and Newton on Friday. The Indians win a pitchers dual 1-0 over Manhattan then double-up Newton 4-2 in their regular season finale.
Game 1: Hays 1, Manhattan 0
The first game of the day was a gem between Hays and Manhattan. Aubree Thomas and the Indians' defense worked seven shutout innings before Hays scored the only run of the game.
Riley Dreher singled to lead off the seventh. Lakyn Zimmerman drove a pitch to right center field for a double that sent home Dreher. Those two hits were half of the Hays total for the game.
Thomas (10-3) took the win allowing six hits, walking none and striking out four. Manhattan's Kierra Goos (8-5) threw six innings, striking out twelve and walking just one. She allowed just five baserunners all game.
Manhattan had runners aboard in every inning but one. Their best chance to score came in the fourth with runners at second and third. The third out of the inning came on runner interference on a ball headed to the shortstop.
Game 2: Manhattan 9, Newton 2
Manhattan scored runs in every inning but the first on their way to a 9-2 win over Newton. The Indians recorded 12 hits.
Kierra Goos (9-5) threw all seven innings striking out 12 and walking a pair to earn the victory.
Newton did push two runs across the plate in the sixth inning on a hit, a Manhattan error, passed ball and wild pitch.
Newton had five errors in the game. Abby Koontz took the loss for the Railers.
Manhattan finishes the regular season at 15-5.
Game 3: Hays 4, Newton 2
Hays plated single runs in four different innings to grab a 4-2 win over Newton to close the night. The Railers scored in the top of the first inning on a pair of singles and a double steal.
Hays got the run back in the first when Aubree Thomas moved from first to third on a sacrifice bunt and then made it home on a throwing error. The Indians took the lead for the first time in the first time in the bottom of third on a Newton error.
Newton tied the game one more time at two runs a piece on a solo home run to open up the fourth inning.
Avery Solida scored on a double by Thomas in the fourth and Riley Dreher scored on a passed ball in the fifth for the 4-2 victory.
Thomas (11-3) worked seven innings for a second time on the day for the victory allowing two runs on five hits and striking out seven. It is her 30th career win.
Newton falls to 3-17. Hays ends the regular season at 15-5. Postseason pairings come out on Saturday.