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Woita's home run sparks Bat Cats
Grant Nottlemann reaches out to catch a pitch.jpg
Grant Nottlemann reaches out to catch a pitch. - photo by Hugo Gonzalez

Bat Cats rally past Islanders

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

Down 4-0, no problem.

Jase Woita (Kansas City CC) drilled a 2-run homer to spark the Great Bend Bat Cats past the Kingman Islanders 7-4 in Wednesday’s finale of the 3-game series. 

The Bat Cats (12-2) head to Augusta Thursday to play the second-place Kansas Cannons (10-2) in a 3-game series.

Kingman led 4-0 with nine hits in three hits as starter Nolan Bushko limited the scoring damage. Jace Russell hit an RBI single. Jesus Cruz drilled a 2-run single and Gavin Roy added an RBI single.

The Bat Cats loaded the bases in three consecutive innings, and scratched out four runs for a 4-4 tie.

Grant Nottlemann scored on Brady Kreutzer’s second-inning groundout. Nottlemann scored on a third-inning wild pitch. Raygoza delivered an RBI single and Brady Wilson forced home Jake Tatom on a bases-loaded walk. The Islanders escaped with a 4-4 tie by retiring three batters. The Bat Cats were helped by 10 walks by Kingman pitchers.

Sparkplug Armani Raygoza singled to lead off the sixth inning. Woita followed with a majestic 2-run homer in perfect 75-degree weather ay Al Burns Memorial Field. Brady Wilson scored a valuable insurance run on an Islander error.

Defensive wizard second baseman Matthew Mendez was in the middle of two spectacular double plays on Gavin Roy groundballs, a 4-6-3 on with shortstop Tatom to end the sixth inning and a 5-4-3 with third baseman Woita to end the ballgame.

The Bat Cats relievers threw six shutout innings. Bryan Bartels earned a save with three innings and Hunter Jones (1-0) threw two shutout innings.

Kingman 130 000 000 – 4 8 2

GB Bat Cats 011 203 00x – 7 9 1

Bushko, Jones (4), Curry (6), Bartels (7) and Nottlemann. W—Jones, 1-0. SV—Bartels. 2B—GB—Nottlemann. HR—GB—Woita.

SUNFLOWER  COLLEGIATE

Great Bend Bat Cats 12-2

Kansas Cannons 10-2 

Haysville Aviators 5-4 

Derby Twins 6-6 

Hutchinson Monarchs 4-8

Newton Rebels 2-7

Kingman Islanders 2-12

6-20—Bat Cats 5, Islanders 4; Rebels 12, Aviators 7; Cannons 14, Monarchs 9

6-21—Bat Cats 7, Islanders 4; Cannons 8, Monarchs 7

6-22—Bat Cats at Cannons; Twins at Aviators; Rebels at Monarchs

6-23—Kansas Cannons, 7 

6-24—Kansas Cannons,  6