BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Every day is a ticking 24-hour clock for Great Bend Bat Cats coach Roger Ward.
While each day is one day closer to returning to baseball, each day is also one without baseball because of restrictions due to the coronavirus.
The Bat Cats have released a 29-player roster that features Great Bend’s Brayden Smith (Fort Hays State) along with six players with Barton Community College ties, including Jarrett Seaton (Emporia State).
“The Covid-19 has put a damper on fundraising this year, and understandably so,” Ward said. “Our league is putting together a new schedule with a June 11 start. Our players, and their families alike, are all excited to get this thing going.”
No professional sport has resumed competition, but the PGA Tour is ticketed for a mid-June start.
“I’m excited,” Ward said. “This roster is what I’d been hoping for. We have all the pieces. We’ve got eight left-handed hitters and nine right-handed hitters. We have versatility.”
Ward believes the resumption of baseball would be a good sign.
“Baseball brings people together and it’s a big social event. People want it,” Ward said. “It could be what everyone needs. We’ve got to plan for a potential season. That’s what we’ll continue to do.”
Ward believes the Sunflower Collegiate League will wait as long as it can before the season is canceled.
“Our commissioner Casey Walkup is strong-willed. He won’t throw in the towel early,” Ward said. “We hope we have great baseball in the Midwest. There’s a lot of hope.”
A proposed back-up plan would play 3-game series rather than 5-game series.
“There’s a second schedule that’s been proposed,” Ward said. “We have supporters and sponsorships. It’s a tough time. We’re at a standstill.”
2020 GREAT BEND BAT CATS
Coaches—Roger Ward, Tim Nolan
2—Chance Ragsdale, IF, Washburn, Weatherford, Texas
3—Chandler Bloomer, C-OF, Barton CC, Ottawa
4—Alex Rodgers, OF, Barton CC, Omaha, Neb.
6—Brady Michel, OF, Emporia State, Great Bend
7—Seth Kenagy, IF, Kansas City CC, Agency, No.
8—Collin Meinert, IF-RP, Upper Iowa, Deerbrook, Wis.
9—Brayden Smith, LP, Fort Hays, Great Bend
10—Hunter Murray, RP, Sam Houston, Lovelady, Texas
11—Ryan Thompson, IF, Cisco College, Frisco, Texas
12—Adrian Talavera, RP, New Mexico Military, El Paso, Texas
13—Joe Richter, RP, Barton CC, Lincoln, Neb.
14—Dylan Blomquist, OF-LP, Temple College, Belton, Texas
15—Trent Touchet, C, Sam Houston, Shreveport, La.
16—Christian Oliver, OF, McMurry, Atlanta, Texas
17—Travis Gilbert, RP, Bossier Parrish CC, Cypress, Texas
18—Jayden Saylor, RP, Bossier Parrish CC, Garland, Texas
19—Ryan Peters, RP, Sam Houston, Cypress, Texas
20—Jake Baker, IB-OF, Kansas, Lawrence
23—Mitch Carnahan, C-UT, McMurry, Hereford, Texas
24—Ben Brown, C-IF, Redlands CC, Wichita
25—Tyler Henry, OF, Kansas City CC, Gardner
26—Marty Carnahan, RP, UT, McMurry, Hereford, Texas
28—Ian Henricks, RP, Barton CC, Lawrence
29—Brian Shadrick, RP, Temple College, Belton, Texas
30—Grant Thompson, RP, Barton CC, Osawkie
34—John Zerr, RP, Dakota Wesleyan, Oakley
39—Jarrett Seaton, LP, Emporia State, Omaha, Neb.
2020 BAT CATS SCHEDULE
JUNE—6-11—Liberal BeeJays, 7; 6-12—Liberal BeeJays, 7; 6-13—Liberal BeeJays, 6; 6-15—Mulvane Patriots, 7; 6-16—at Mulvane Patriots, 7; 6-17— Mulvane Patriots, 7; 6-19—at Mulvane Patriots, 7; 6-20—Rose Hill Sluggers, 6; 6-21—Rose Hill Sluggers, 6; 6-22—at Rose Hill Sluggers, 7; 6-23—at Rose Hill Sluggers, 5; 6-25—Sunflower Collegiate League at Cheney; 6-26—Sunflower Collegiate League, 7; 6-27—Sunflower Collegiate League at Cheney, 5; 6-28—Sunflower Collegiate League at Cheney, 3; 6-30—Cheney D-Dawgs, 7
JULY—7-1—Cheney D-Dawgs, 7; 7-2—at Cheney D-Dawgs, 7; 7-3—at Cheney D-Dawgs, 3; 7-5—Haysville Aviators, 3; 7-6—Haysville Aviators, 7; 7-7—at Haysville Aviators, 7; 7-8—at Haysville Aviators, 7; 7-9—Liberal BeeJays, 7; 7-10—Hutchinson Monarchs, 7; 7-11—at Hutchinson Monarchs, 7; 7-12—at Hutchinson Monarchs, 6; 7-14—at Hutchinson Monarchs, 6; 7-15—Derby Twins, 7; 7-16—at Derby Twins, 7; 7-17—Derby Twins, 6; 7-18—Derby Twins, DH, 3; 7-20—Newton Rebels, 7; 7-21—at Newton Rebels, 7; 7-22—Newton Rebels, 7; 7-23—at Newton Rebels, 7; 7-24—at Liberal Beejays, 7; 7-27—at El Dorado Broncos, 7; 28—El Dorado Broncos, 7; 7-29—at El Dorado Broncos, 7; 7-30—El Dorado Broncos, 7
