By NICK McQUEEN

nmcqueen@dailynews.net

Already this season, the Hays High School softball team surpassed last year's win total of six under then first-year coach Keith Dechant.

The Indians picked up win No. 8 in a weather-shortened scheduled doubleheader at Dusty Glassman Ball Park with a 13-2 run rule victory over Salina Central, but it's the improvement over the last couple of weeks that has Dechant more excited.

"We had no errors, and that's big for us," Dechant said of his team's Game 1 win. "I think that's the first game where we haven't had any errors.

"The girls played well, hit the ball well, and we got decent pitching," he added.

The Indians almost made it a doubleheader sweep, but with a 5-3 lead in the Indians' fourth, the game was called by lightning in the area.

The weather not only shortened the game, but put a little damper on Senior Day. But the win, which moved the Indians to 8-9, was enough to keep spirits high.

"It kind of hurts for our seniors," Dechant said. "It would have been nice to get that second one in, just to finish out their final home game."

Officially, the Indians' final home game was the run-rule victory, a win where Hays High posted 12 hits, had no errors and ended the game after 4 1/2 innings.

Senior Allison Groff went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while classmate Sandra Nickel drove in a pair of runs.

"We've got some good momentum going into regionals," Dechant said. "We're hitting the ball well, and things are going well defensively."

The win was the third straight for Hays High, which will be on the road next week for Class 5A sub-state action. Pairings will be announced Saturday.

Sophomore Carissa Wickham (5-4) picked up the win for Hays High in the regular-season finale. Wickham pitched five innings, giving up two runs on three hits and had four strikeouts.

"She did a nice job today of hitting her spots again. She threw a good drop ball that worked really well," Dechant said. "They couldn't catch up with her fastball."

In the nightcap, Amanda Groff also posted solid numbers. She took a no-hitter and a 5-0 lead into the fourth inning before the game was called, and had eight strikeouts. At one point, the sophomore and younger sister of Allison Groff, struck out five straight Salina Central batters. Hays High had five hits in the second game before it was called.

"We had good hits today. That's great to see us hitting the ball like that," Dechant said. "That's really what we needed going into next week.

"We struggled hitting the ball in Kansas City, but we stepped it up a bit against Garden City. So, hopefully, this is a continuing trend for us," he added.

Game notes

* Between games Thursday, Hays High honored its pair of seniors, Allison Groff and Sandra Nickel. The two shared memories and favorite moments in Hays High softball, with their families on hand.

"I watched them come up through the younger ranks," Dechant said of his senior duo. "I've watched them improve every year. They are just two great girls on and off the field, and there is nothing more you could ask for out of those two."

* Hays High had two extra-base hits, a double each by sophomore Morgan Skiles and Amanda Groff in the opener. Junior catcher Charlsie Klaus ahd three RBIs.

* Salina Central committed six errors in the opener, which led to two unearned runs.