Bat Cats earn historic victory
BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
WICHITA — The Great Bend Bat Cats crushed the Hutchinson Monarchs 24-10 with a record-breaking performance in Wednesday’s elimination game at the NBC World Series. The 3-hour, 19-minute marathon ended at 1:35 a.m. Thursday at Eck Stadium.
Dawson Pomeroy scored five runs and drove home five runs with five hits. Great Bend native Brady Michel drove home five runs with four hits. The Bat Cats scored a team record 24 runs and scored 14 runs in the fourth inning.
The 14-run inning featured 10 walks, a hit batter and an error. Eight runs scored on either a walk, error or wild pitch.
Michel delivered the key hit, a three-run double for a 17-7 lead that scored Ryan Monson, Daunte Freeman and Pomeroy. Pomeroy had earlier singled home Cade Gonzales and Monson for a 7-7 tie. Chandler Bloom’s single scored Michel for an 18-7 lead.
The Bat Cats drew 17 walks and had two batters hit by pitches. The Monarchs contributed four errors. The Bat Cats beat Hutchinson in four of six meetings.
The Great Bend Bat Cats (26-17) play at 1 p.m. Friday against the Game Day (Colo.) Saints at Eck Stadium. The Haysville Aviators and Santa Barbara (Calif.) Foresters are also in pool 2.
Hutchinson 010 620 001 — 10 10 4
GB Bat Cats 022 (14)00 60x — 24 15 2
Kelley, Philbin (4), Linder (4), Dreher (4), Kudelka (7), Clark (8) and Wolverton. Brimacombe, Young (4), Fyffe (8) and Bloomer. W—Young. L—Ash. 2B—GB—Pomeroy, Monson, Michel, Cheatum; H—Barber, Wolverton. 2B—GB—Pomeroy; H—Wolverton.
NBC TOURNAMENT
WICHITA STATE, ECK STADIUM
BRACKET PLAY JULY 30
Hutchinson Monarchs 7, Dodge City A’s 1
Great Bend Bat Cats 6, Wichita Sluggers 3
Derby Twins 5, Wichita 316 Elite 2
Hays Larks 2, Denver Cougars 0
BRACKET PLAY JULY 31
Derby Twins 9, Hays Larks 7
Great Bend Bat Cats 24, Hutchinson Monarchs 10
CHAMPIONSHIP POOL PLAY
x-pool winner
POOL A—G1—San Diego Waves 3, Texas Express 2; G2—Cheney 5, Seattle 4; G3—Cheney 8, San Diego Waves 5; G4—Seattle 2, Texas Express 0; G5—x-Cheney 13, Texas Express 4; G6—San Diego Waves 9, Seattle 8
POOL B—G1—Great Bend Bat Cats 11, Game Day (Colo.) Saints 1; G2—Santa Barbara 1, Haysville 0; G3—Santa Barbara 6, Great Bend Bat Cats 1; G4—Game Day 8, Haysville 0; G5—x-Santa Barbara 8, Game Day 1; G6—Haysville 6, Great Bend Bat Cats 1
POOL C—G1—Kansas Cannons 3, San Antonio Angels 0; G2—Fairbanks 10, Colorado Cyclones 5; G3—Fairbanks 8, Kansas Cannons 5; G4—Colorado Cyclones 8, San Antonio Angels 0; G5—x-Fairbanks 13, San Antonio Angels 0; G6—Colorado Cyclones 8, Kansas Cannons 4
POOL D—G1—Lonestar Baseball 3, Derby 1; G1—San Diego Stars 4, Liberal 1; G3—Lonestar Baseball 6, San Diego Stars 5; G4—Derby 2, Liberal 1; G5—Liberal 11, x-Lonestar Baseball 2; G6—Derby 2,. San Diego Stars 1
CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET WEDNESDAY
Derby Twins 7, Haysville Aviators 6
Kansas Cannons 9, San Diego Waves 1
Seattle Studs 15, Colorado Cyclones 0
San Diego Stars 6, Great Bend Bat Cats 1
THURSDAY’S QUARTERFINALS
Lonestar Baseball (2-1) vs. Kansas Cannons (2-2)
Cheney Diamond Dawgs (3-0) vs. Derby Twins (7-1)
Santa Barbara (Calif.) Foresters (3-0) vs. Seattle Studs (2-2)
Fairbanks Goldpanners (3-0) vs. San Diego Stars (2-2)
