By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Salina South softball team handled their business on Friday night, sweeping the Lady Salthawks of Hutchinson in victories of 15-5 and 9-8.
Game One: Salina South 15, Hutch 5
The Lady Salthawk bats looked ready to compete in the opener, scoring a run in the first, two more in the second, and two in the third, marking their best offensive output in nearly two weeks.
Unfortunately for Hutch, it didn’t take long for South to capitalize on a few miscues, and in the home half of the second, the Lady Cougars sent nine straight batters to the plate, each of whom would reach first safely.
That led to a seven-run outburst that put South in front 8-3, and with three more runs in the third and four in the fourth this game would conclude in just five innings.
Every single member of the Salina South lineup scored or drove in at least one run, led by Paityn Fritz who went 3-3 with a two-run home run, a walk and an RBI single.
In the circle, Macy Yost settled down after the third, allowing just three earned runs in her seventh win of the season.
Game Two: Salina South 9, Hutch 8
The nightcap of this two-game set was much closer, with Hutch nearly tying things up in the final frame.
Once again it was the Lady Salthawks who struck first, and actually held a 3-1 lead going into the bottom of the third.
Macy Yost and Chloe Helsel quickly flipped that script, driving in three runs on a pair of singles to flip a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead.
South would add another in the fourth and fifth, and three more in the sixth, holding a 9-5 advantage into the final inning.
Hutch kept battling, plating three and putting the tying run on third, but a strikeout of Jayanna Cornejo would seal the deal and secure the win for the Lady Cougars.
With this sweep, South improves to 14-4 while Hutch drops to 3-15 on the year.
These wins also vault the green and gold into fourth place in the regional standings, up two spots from the 6-seed they held going into Friday.
The Lady Cougars will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Valley Center.