BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
WICHITA — The Great Bend Bat Cats' 11-1 victory over Colorado Game Day saved the day in the NBC World Series.
The Bat Cats lost 6-1 to the Haysville Aviators Tuesday, but have qualified for Wednesday's 12-team bracket round. The Bat Cats (1-2, 0 run differential) held a run advantage in pool play over Haysville (1-2, -4 runs) and Colorado Game Day (1-2, -9 runs). All three teams lost to the defending NBC champion Santa Barbara Foresters in pool play.
The Bat Cat' spot in the next round was clinched on run differential once the game progressed past the fifth inning. Great Bend (27-19) are 4-3 in the NBC Tournament. Great Bend plays the Derby Twins/San Diego Stars loser Wednesday at a time to be determined. Pitcher Zach Curry, who earned a crucial victory against the Hays Larks, will start Wednesday's game.
Bat Cat starter Easton Smith pitched brilliantly into the seventh inning in a 1-1 tie. But Haysville roughed up Smith and ineffective reliever Cade Peters for four runs. Pinch runner Drew Helberg scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch and Smith was pulled after a single by Sterling Spurling.
Peters, a Barton Community College pitcher from Fort Collins, Colo., yielded RBI singles to Charles Gordon and Dayan Reinoso and an RBI double to Livan Reinoso for a 6-1 lead.
Smith and Haysville starter Devin Wagoner were locked in a 1-1 tie into the bottom of the seventh inning.
"It's great to see what Easton did tonight," said Roger Ward, Great Bend Bat Cats coach. "That was a good Easton Smith tonight. He competed hard like he always does. He did his job."
Haysville's Cody Muncey doubled and scored on a second-inning groundball for a 1-0 lead.
Daunte Freeman singled home Clay Lockett in the seventh inning for a 1-1 tie. Ryan Monson singled and Dawson Pomeroy walked to load the bases with no out. But third baseman Livan Reinoso relayed to his brother Dayan Reinoso for a 5-2 double play on Brady Michel's groundball. Chandler Bloomer was retired on a fly ball to end the threat.
"We would've liked to have won that game," Ward said. "We had some opportunities. The discouraging thing is how we've hit the ball the last two games. The one thing we can change is the strikeouts. we've got to put the ball in play."
GB Bat Cats 000 001 000 — 1 4 1
Haysville 010 000 40x — 6 9 2
Smith, Peters (7), Fyffe (8) and Gibson. Wagoner, Marton (6) and Dayan Reinoso. W—Marton. L—Smith. 2B—H—Livan Reinoso 2, Muncey, Candor.
NBC TOURNAMENT
WICHITA STATE, ECK STADIUM
CHAMPIONSHIP POOL PLAY
x-pool winner
POOL A—G1—San Diego Waves 3, Texas Express 2; G2—Cheney 5, Seattle 4; G3—Cheney 8, San Diego Waves 5; G4—Seattle 2, Texas Express 0; G5—x-Cheney 13, Texas Express 4; G6—San Diego Waves 9, Seattle 8
POOL B—G1—Great Bend Bat Cats 11, Game Day (Colo.) Saints 1; G2—Santa Barbara 1, Haysville 0; G3—Santa Barbara 6, Great Bend Bat Cats 1; G4—Game Day 8, Haysville 0; G5—Santa Barbara 8, Game Day 1; G6—Haysville 6, Great Bend Bat Cats 1
POOL C—G1—Kansas Cannons 3, San Antonio Angels 0; G2—Fairbanks 10, Colorado Cyclones 5; G3—Fairbanks 8, Kansas Cannons 5; G4—Colorado Cyclones 8, San Antonio Angels 0; G5—x-Fairbanks 13, San Antonio Angels 0; G6—Colorado Cyclones 8, Kansas Cannons 4
POOL D—G1—Lonestar Baseball 3, Derby 1; G1—San Diego Stars 4, Liberal 1; G3—Lonestar Baseball 6, San Diego Stars 5; G4—Derby 2, Liberal 1; G5—x-Liberal 11, Lonestar Baseball 2; G6—Derby 2, San Diego Stars 1
WEDNESDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
Derby Twins 7, Haysville Aviators 6
Kansas Cannons 9, San Diego Waves 1
Seattle Studs 15, Colorado Cyclones 0
San Diego Stars 6, Great Bend Bat Cats 1
THURSDAY’S QUARTERFINALS
Lonestar Baseball (2-1) vs. Kansas Cannons (2-2)
Cheney Diamond Dawgs (3-0) vs. Derby Twins (7-1)
Santa Barbara (Calif.) Foresters (3-0) vs. Seattle Studs (2-2)
Fairbanks Goldpanners (3-0) vs. San Diego Stars (2-2)
