BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

NEWTON – Great Bend's Seth Kenagy drove home three runs and pitcher Adrian Talavera struck out eight batters as the Bat Cats raced past the Newton Rebels 13-2 in Friday's Sunflower Collegiate League baseball showdown. 

Nine Bat Cats contributed a run, hit or RBI. Alex Rodgers, Collin Meinert and Chance Ragsdale each contributed a pair of RBIs. Talavera yielded a two-run double to Erik Garza and worked 61/3 innings. Third baseman Ragsdale turned a seventh-inning double play on Andrew Brautman.

The fourth-place Bat Cats (17-18, 16-16 Sunflower) completed a four-game sweep against Newton. Great Bend returns home Monday and Tuesday against Liberal.

Kenagy doubled home Chandler Bloomer and Tyler Henry in a two-run second inning. Kenagy singled home Christian Oliver in a five-run fourth inning. Bloomer singled home Jake Baker and Brady Michel. Rodgers and Meinert hit back-to-back sacrifice flies for a 7-2 lead.

Oliver scored on Rodgers' fifth-inning groundball and Ragsdale scored on an error for a 9-2 lead. Kenagy scored on Meinert's seventh-inning groundball. Kenagy scored on Meinert's eighth-inning groundball. Bloomer and Henry scampered home on Ragsdale's ninth-inning single.

BAT CATS 13, REBELS 2

Bat Cats 020 520 022 – 13 18 1 

Newton 020 000 000 – 2 4 2

Talavera, Smith (7), Shadrick (9) and Bloomer. Royle, Paten (5), Gillig (8), Knipfer (9) and Eshelman. W–Talavera. L–Royle. 2B–BC–Bloom,er Rodgers, Kenagy; N–Garza.

SUNFLOWER COLLEGIATE LEAGUE

Cheney Diamond Dawgs 23-5 29-5

Hutchinson Monarchs 23-5 25-5 

Rose Hill Sluggers 21-7 24-8

Great Bend Bat Cats 16-16 17-18

Derby Twins 11-16 11-18

Mulvane Patriots 10-18 12-18

Newton Rebels 9-19 12-20

Sunflower Seeds 8-20 8-20

Haysville Aviators 6-21 8-24

7-23–Bat Cats 12, Newton 8; Hutchinson 9, Cheney 6; Haysville 2, Seeds 1; Seeds 5, Haysville 2; Rose Hill 8, Mulvane 2

7-24–Bat Cats 13, Newton 2; Cheney 6, Seeds 4

7-27–Liberal at Bat Cats

7-28–Liberal at Bat Cats