BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
WICHITA – Great Bend Bat Cats pitcher Dawson Tourney delivered four consecutive outs to upset the Hutchinson Monarchs 5-4 in Tuesday's NBC World Series quarterfinal game.
Tourney retired Cooper Harris with the bases loaded on an eighth-inning groundout to second baseman Austin Bonnel to preserve a 4-4 tie. Tourney struck out three batters in the ninth inning to trigger a wild celebration.
The Bat Cats (30-16) play last year's NBC runner-up Cheney (30-19) in Wednesday's 6 p.m. elimination game.
Bonnel scored the go-ahead run on Ryan Slotzhauer's wild pitch for a 5-4 lead. Bonnel walked and alertly stole third base to set up the eighth-inning run.
The Bat Cats edged to a 2-0 lead after two innings. Jordan Maxson singled home Alex Rodgers on a perfect hit-and-run, but Zane Spinn was thrown out at third base on the play. Connor Allen doubled home Micah Grover in the second inning.
David Stich's error on a bunt gift wrapped two fifth-inning runs. Jordan Ardoin scored on Stich's throwing error on Breck Nowik's bunt. Cole Cosman scored on a nifty 6-4-3 double play started by third baseman Nolan Riley.
Bat Cats leadoff batter Rodgers reached base for the 11th time in 12 plate appearances and scored a go-ahead run on Maxson's fifth-inning double. Riley scored on Noah Kelley's wild pitch for a 4-2 lead.
Monarch Cooper Harris singled home Ardoin and Cosman off reliever Ian Lanik for a 4-4 tie. Centerfielder Rodgers delivered the game's key defensive play by throwing out Tanner White at third base on the base hit.
Lanik was ineffective as six of eight batters reached base in the seventh and eighth innings. But Tourney saved the day.
Hutchinson 000 020 200 – 4 9 2
GB Bat Cats 110 020 01x – 5 7 2
Davis, Kelley (5), Slotzhauer (7) and Harris. Stich, Nedved (6), Lanik (7), Tourney (8) and Allen. W–Tourney, 1-1. L–Slotzhauer, 1-3. 2B–GB–Allen, Maxson.
2021 NBC WORLD SERIES
WICHITA RIVERFRONT STADIUM
THURSDAY–G26–Hays Larks (32-7) vs. Cheney Diamond Dawgs (31-19), 8:30 p.m.; G27–Santa Barbara (Calif). 33-7 vs. Austin Lonestar, Texas (22-1), 6
WEDNESDAY–G25–Hays 8, Seattle Studs 1; G26–Cheney 10, Great Bend Bat Cats 8
TUESDAY–G23–Seattle 10, Derby Twins 3; G24–Great Bend Bat Cats 5, Hutchinson Monarchs 4
MONDAY–G21–Santa Barbara 7, Hays Larks 5; G22–Lonestar 7, Cheney 0
HUTCHINSON, HOBART DETTER
SUNDAY–G18–Derby 10, Mid-Crest (Ill.) 4; G17–Seattle Studs 6, Waco (Texas) Sultanes 3; G20–Great Bend Bat Cats 9, Sluggers 1; G19–Hutchinson 10, Liberal Bee Jays 2
SATURDAY–G9–Waco 16, Puerto Rico 11; G10–Mid-Crest 11, San Diego Stars 3; G14–Hays 13, Hutchinson 1; G13–Santa Barbara 9, Sluggers 4
FRIDAY–G11–Liberal 11, Boulder (Colo.) Collegians 3; G12–Great Bend Bat Cats 13, Sluggers 0; G15–Cheney 15, Derby 7; G16–Lonestar 10, Seattle 8
THURSDAY–Wichita Sluggers 11, Puerto Rico 1; G3–Hays 16, Mid-Crest 8; G4–Hutchinson 4, San Diego 3; G1–Santa Barbara 14, Waco 0
WEDNESDAY–G5–Cheney 9, Boulder 4; G6–Derby 5, Liberal 4; G7–Lonestar 7, Great Bend Bat Cats 5; G8–Seattle 14, Wichita 316 Elite 0
