By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Great Bend Bat Cats pull off miracle
bat cats P Austin Oblas2
Bat Cat pitcher Austin Oblas

LIBERAL — The Great Bend Bat Cats were down to their last out when they pulled off a minor miracle 14-9 against the perennial powerhouse Liberal BeeJays.
The Bat Cats trailed 9-5 in Saturday’s Jayhawk League baseball game after eight innings. The Bat Cats shocked Liberal 14-9 by scoring nine consecutive runs.
The Bat Cats (13-22, 8-21 Jayhawk League) play Dodge City A’s Tuesday at Al Burns Memorial Field.
The Bat Cats scored four runs in the ninth inning for a 9-9 tie. Austin McNicholas drove home Brendan Madsen on a sacrifice fly. Chris Swanberg singled home Reece Johnson. Thomas Alexander singled home Gavin Johnson and Swanberg for a 9-9 tie with two out off reliever Channy Ortiz.
Austin McNicholas singled home Reece Johnson after a 10th-inning triple that sidelined Liberal outfielder Sean Arnold, who crashed into the fence. McNicholas scored on a wild pitch for an 11-9 lead. Gavin Johnson scored on Chris Swanberg’s sacrifice fly for a 12-9 lead. McKay Banks singled home Hunter Romero and Andrew Schatz for a 14-9 lead.
The Bat Cats scored two second-inning runs for a 2-1 lead. Andrew Schatz singled home Chris Swanberg. Thomas Alexander doubled home Schatz.
Hunter Romero doubled home McNicholas in the third inning. McKay Banks homered in the fourth inning. Alexander scored on Reece Johnson’s sixth inning sacrifice fly.
Liberal’s Dylan Paul homered and drove home four runs. Brock Burton homered and drove in three runs.

GB Bat Cats 021 101 004 5 — 14 19 3
Liberal 002 141 100 0 — 9 15 1
Riley, Anderson (6) and Gavin Johnson. Zanger, Montgomery (6), Ortiz (9), Zeller (10), Cantu (10) and Hacker, Fulford (10). W—Anderson. L—Ortiz. 2B—GB—Swanberg, Alexander, Andrew Schatz, Romero; L—Hacker 2, Tapia, Arnold, Paul, Krauel, Simon. 3B—GB—Reece Johnson. HR—GB—Banks; L—Paul, Burton.

JAYHAWK LEAGUE
Hays Larks 22-6
Liberal Beejays 17-11
Dodge City A’s 16-11
Derby Twins 16-14
El Dorado Broncos 13-15
GB Bat Cats 8-21
Haysville Aviators 8-22

TUESDAY, JULY 17
Dodge City at Great Bend
Hays Larks at Haysville
El Dorado at Derby

SUNDAY, JULY 15
Great Bend at Liberal, ppd.
Hays Larks 3, Derby 2, 16 innings
Dodge City 2, Haysville 1

SATURDAY, JULY 14
Great Bend 14, Liberal 9
Derby 3, Hays 0
Hays Larks 5, Derby 3
Dodge City 2, Haysville 0