Derby's homer beats Bat Cats

BY JIM MISUNAS

jmisunas@gbtribune.com

DERBY – Derby's Nick Costello homered to spoil a dramatic rally by the Great Bend Bat Cats for a 5-4 Sunflower Collegiate League baseball victory.

Bat Cat starter Payton Tinkler was tagged with the loss after working 81/3 innings. Four errors cost the Bat Cats. Pat Hackworth scored on the Bat Cats' second error and Derek Winn scored on Cade Baker's groundout for a 2-0 lead.

The Bat Cats were scoreless for six innings against crafty Derby starter Esteban Hernandez. Bat Cat Bodi Wallar provided a spark with a 2-run homer that drove home Zane Spinn after a single for a 2-2 tie.

Derby responded with a 2-run seventh inning. Costello singled home Baker and Burrell scored on Zane Spinn's error for a 4-2 lead.

Great Bend rallied against Derby relievers Trevor Baugh and Eli Ballard in the ninth inning. Spinn walked and scored on Hackworth's error. Baugh walked A.J. Mustow and Ballard walked Riley Silva. Colby Christian had two strikes with two out when he doubled home pinch runner Colter Maldanado for a shocking 4-4 tie.

But Costello spoiled Tinkler's solid night with a one-out homer to split the first two games. Great Bend (22-9, 18-8) stays one game ahead of Derby (17-9).

GB Bat Cats 000 000 202 – 4 4 4

Derby 000 200 201 – 5 8 2

Tinkler and Connor Allen. Hernandez, Baugh (9), Ballard (9) and Baker. W–Ballard. L–Tinkler. 2B–GB–Christian. HR–GB–Wallar; D–Costello.

SUNFLOWER COLLEGIATE

Cheney 22-4

Hutchinson 20-6

Great Bend 18-8

Derby 17-9

Newton 12-7

Haysville 11-11

Kingman 8-15

Wichita Lobos 7-16