BY JIM MISUNAS
The Great Bend Bats were not happy about not earning an invitation to the 2020 NBC Baseball World Series.
But they celebrated their final home game by upsetting five-time NBC World Series champion Liberal 5-2 in Tuesday’s nightcap at Barton Community College’s Lawson-Biggs Field.
Great Bend native Brady Michel delivered a crucial two-run double and Great Bend native Brayden Smith pitched the ninth inning. He struck out Nate White to leave the bases loaded for the third time.
The Bat Cats (18-19) beat Liberal (27-6) for the second time. The Bat Cats end their 2020 season at Liberal Wednesday and Thursday.
BAT CATS 5, BEE JAYS 2 (G2) – Bat Cat starting pitcher Jayden Saylor struck out eight batters and stranded 13 baserunners to constantly work out of trouble. Saylor retired Bryce Donovan and Aidan Shepardson to strand the bases loaded in the third inning. Saylor retired Shepardson to leave the bases loaded in the fifth inning.
Liberal’s Caeden Trenkle scored on a bases-loaded third inning walk.
The Bat Cats struck for four sixth-inning runs. Alex Rodgers singled home Chance Ragsdaleand Seth Kenagy after back-to-back singles. Jake Baker walked and Michel followed with a double to score Rodgers and Baker for a 4-1 lead.
Collin Meinert scored the Bat Cats’ fifth run on a wild pitch. Liberal’s Cayde Ward scored on Kade Brewer’s ninth-inning strikeout.
BEE JAYS 11, BAT CATS 5 (G1) – Liberal’s Jack Malone led a 15-hit attack with three runs batted home. Wilson Ehrhardt drove home two runs.
Liberal led 4-0. Cody Bigford hit a second-inning sacrifice fly and Cayde Ward singled home Nate White. Jake Schultz scored on a groundout and Bigford scored on a wild pitch.
The Bat Cats’ Chance Ragsdale scored on an error and Kenagy scored on a stolen base. Jake Baker’s single drove home Meinert for a 4-3 score.
Liberal’s Cade Brewer hit a fourth-inning homer. Malone delivered a two-run double and Ehrhardt hit a two-run single in a six-run sixth inning foran 11-4 lead. A.J. Folds hit an RBI single and Ward scored on an error.
Kenagy doubled and scored on Meinert’s fifth-inning single. Chandler Bloomer scored on Ragsdale’s sixth-inning groundout.
BEE JAYS 11, BAT CATS 5
Liberal 011 216 0 – 11 15 3
Bat Cats 003 011 0 – 5 6 1
Funk, Didier (4), Hunt (7) and Brewer. Marty Carnahan, Shadrick (6) and Bloomer. W—Funk. L—M. Carnahan. 2B—GB—Ragsdale, Kenagy; L—Malone, Bigford. HR—L—Brewer.
BAT CATS 5,BEE JAYS 2
Liberal 001 000 001 – 2 6 0
Bat Cats 000 004 01x – 5 5 0
Arnold, Heiman (6), Strambler (8) and Brewer. Saylor, Brayden Smith (9) and Bloomer. W—Saylor. L—Arnold. 2B—GB—Michel; L—Ward.
SUNFLOWER COLLEGIATE LEAGUE
Cheney Diamond Dawgs 24-5 30-5
Hutchinson Monarchs 23-6 25-6
Rose Hill Sluggers 21-8 24-9
Great Bend Bat Cats 16-16 18-19
Derby Twins 13-16 13-18
Newton Rebels 12-19 15-20
Mulvane Patriots 10-19 12-19
Sunflower Seeds 9-20 9-20
Haysville Aviators 6-25 8-28
7-30–Bat Cats at Liberal; Rose Hill at Cheney; Derby at Mulvane; Haysville at Newton; Seeds at Hutchinson
7-29–Bat Cats at Liberal; Cheney at Rose Hill; Mulvane at Derby; Haysville at Newton; Seeds at Hutchinson DH
7-28–Bat Cats 5, Liberal 2; Liberal 11, Bat Cats 5; Cheney 9, Rose Hill 2; Derby 11, Mulvane 1; Newton 3, Haysville 2; Seeds 5 Hutchinson 4
7-27–Newton 3, Haysville 2; Newton 8, Haysville 2
