Bat Cats split twin bill
BY JIM MISUNAS
Great Bend Bat Cat Nolan Riley lived up to his namesake. Riley, named after Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, struck out Liberal’s top two left-handed batters to preserve a one-run lead.
The Bat Cats scored four insurance runs for an 8-4 Jayhawk League victory Thursday over the BeeJays, a five-time NBC champion. Liberal (10-5 Jayhawk) won Thursday’s second game over the Bat Cats (4-8 Jayhawk).
Riley relieved starter Daniel Hegarty with the bases loaded and plunked Sean Arnold to force home a run. Riley kept his poise and struck out Liberal’s best hitter Brett Vosik and Dylan Paul on back-to-back called third strikes.
“They were backdoor curveballs that break back inside on left-handed batters,” Riley said. “That was a big win for us. We needed that.”
Riley performed a similar clutch save to preserve a late-inning lead for the Barton Cougars by striking out Cowley College’s hottest hitter. The Cougars rallied to sweep Cowley to earn the school’s first NJCAA national berth.
“Tonight was similar to that,” Riley said. “My goal is to stay relaxed and fill up the zone with strikes. I didn’t start off so well with my first batter.”
Hegarty worked 51/3 innings in a solid 102-pitch performance, Hegarty struck out five batters and stranded seven baserunners. Hegarty made the game’s best defensive play by throwing out Jack Krauel at third base on a second-inning sacrifice fly.
Gavin Johnson singled home Reece Johnson and Thomas Alexander singled home Gavin Johnson and Blaine ray for a 3-0 first-inning lead. Liberal’s Chase Hacker scored on Zach Keller’s second-inning sacrifice fly.
Ray’s second-inning single scored Reece Johnson for a 4-1 lead. Liberal’s Sean Arnold scored on a bases-loaded walk to Hacker in the third inning for a 4-2 score.
Liberal’s Krauel, Jon Tapia and Dane Simon singled to start the sixth inning against Hegarty. Riley relieved and helped preserve the first-game victory.
LIBERAL 5, BAT CATS 4 (G2) – Liberal pitcher David Moffat shut out the punchless Bat Cats for six innings to earn the second-game victory. The Bat Cats nearly rallied for a tie in the seventh inning, scoring four runs without a base hit. Bat Cat Chris Swanberg walked with the bases loaded to break up the shutout. Reece Johnson scored on a wild pitch. Andrew Schatz and Chris Swanberg also scored on wild pitches by reliever Christian Isenhour. Isenhour struck out Blaine Ray to end the ballgame. Brendan Madsen and Andrew Schatz walked and Reece Johnson was hit by a pitch to start the seventh inning.
Liberal’s Tom Lichty, a Kansas Jayhawk, homered to bring home Blake Brewster in the first inning off starter Easton Smith for a 2-0 lead. Boone Montgomery singled home Peyton Johnson in the third inning for a 3-0 lead. Blake Brewster’s double scored Channy Ortiz in the fourth inning. Peyton Johnson’s single scored Brewster for a 5-0 lead off Easton Smith.
The Bat Cats travel to El Dorado Friday to start a three-game series.
Liberal 011 001 1 – 4 10 1
Bat Cats 310 004 x – 8 10 1
Keller, Paul (5) and Hacker. Hegarty, Riley (6) and Gavin Johnson. W—Hegarty. L—Keller. 2B—GB—Banks; L—Allen.
Liberal 201 200 0 – 5 10 0
Bat Cats 000 000 4 – 4 5 1
Moffat, Isenhour (7) and Marino. Smith, Anthony Schatz (5), Parry (7) and Andrew Schatz. W—Moffat, 1-0. L—Smith, 1-1. 2B—L—Ortiz 2, Brewster. HR—L—Lichty.
JAYHAWK LEAGUE
Derby Twins 9-4
Liberal Beejays 10-5
Hays Larks 7-3
Dodge City A’s 5-6
El Dorado Broncos 4-8
GB Bat Cats 4-8
Haysville Aviators 3-8
FRIDAY-SATURDAY-SUNDAY
Great Bend at El Dorado
Hays at Derby
Havsville at Liberal
THURSDAY, JUNE 21
Great Bend 8, Liberal 4
Liberal 5, Great Bend 4
Derby 9, El Dorado 4
Hays 6, Dodge City 5
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20
Liberal at Great Bend, ppd
El Dorado 8, Haysville 4
Dodge City 5, Hays 3
