BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

Bat Cats starter Brayden Tower (2-0) and reliever Brett Allen combined to shut down the Newton Rebels 4-1 in Wednesday's showdown between the top two teams in the Sunflower Collegiate League. 

The first-place Bat Cats (13-1, 9-0 Sunflower) have swept a club record 11 consecutive games. The Bat Cats maintain a 3-game lead on Cheney (6-3) with Newton (5-3) dropping 31/2 games behind.

First baseman Simon Larranaga delivered the game's decisive play when he threw to catcher Connor Allen who tagged Dalton Patten out at home plate. Bailyn Sorensen scored on Tyler Palmer's groundball that was misplayed, but Larranaga alertly relayed to Allen.

Larranaga singled home sparkplug Alex Rodgers and hot-hitting Colby Christian singled home Larranaga in the third inning off Newton starter Alex Gillig.  Kyle Gates singled home Rodgers in the fourth inning. A.J. Mustow doubled home Christian in the fifth inning.

Future Barton Community College pitcher Brett Allen from Australia recorded four outs to earn a save.

Newton 000 001 000 — 1 6 3

GB Bat Cats 002 110 00x — 4 10 2

Gillig, Girard (4) and Sorensen. Tower, Brett Allen and Connor Allen. W—Tower, 2-0. L—Gillig, 0-1. SV—B. Allen. 2B—GB—Mustow, Allen, Christian.