BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
WICHITA – Sunflower Collegiate League 1, Kansas Collegiate League 0.
The Great Bend Bat Cats scored the first upset of the NBC World Series with a 5-4 victory Sunday over the Hays Larks, a former Jayhawk League powerhouse. Chase Gibson doubled home Dawson Pomeroy and Chandler Bloomer after a pair of ninth inning walks for the game-winning hit.
"I was looking for something straight to hit. I knew he had a pretty good fastball," Gibson said. "I felt comfortable all night."
Hays' Jerrod Belbin tripled and scored on Griffon Everitt’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly that centerfielder Daunte Freeman tracked down. Reliever Tanner Howe (5-2) retired Jim DeLeon and Grant Lung to end the ballgame. Starter Jarrett Seaton yielded three runs with two strikeouts.
Freeman rescued the Bat Cats with several spectacular catches. Shortstop Clay Lockett and second baseman Tyson Cheatum turned a double play.
The Bat Cats (24-16) lost 7-5 to the Waco (Texas) Missions Monday. Hays (1-1, 3 run differential) clinched first place in the pool in a three-way tie. The Bat Cats (minus 1 run) qualify for bracket play against the Wichita Sluggers with a 2-run loss. Hays beat Waco 4-0 in Saturday's first game.
Ryan Monson doubled home Nolan Riley and Duante Freeman drove home Lockett on a second-inning ground out.
The red-hot Belbin tripled home Alex Strachen, George Sutherland and Mikey Gangwish for a 3-2 lead after four innings. Dawson Pomeroy doubled home Freeman in the fifth inning for a 3-3 tie.
Pinch hitter Enzo Bonventre, added from the Newton Rebels in the Sunflower League, doubled in the eighth, but Howe retired DeLeon, Wyatt Divis and Strachen.
The Sunflower Collegiate League teams have started 7-1 in the NBC Tournament. They've swept the Kansas Collegiate League (2-4) in three games.
GB Bat Cats 002 010 002 – 5 7 0
Hays Larks 000 300 001 – 4 10 2
Seaton, Howe (8) and Bloomer. Hays, Neff (5), Munsch (6), Marrufo (8), Tavera (9) and McGuire. W–Howe. L–Marrufo. 2B–GB–Monson, Pomeroy, Cheathum, Gibson; H–Belbin 2, Bonventre. 3B–H–Belbin.
NBC TOURNAMENT
WICHITA STATE, ECK STADIUM
POOL A—1—Hutchinson Monarchs 2-0; 2—Wichita 316 Elite 1-1; 3—Palm Springs (Calif.) Chill 0-2; G1—316 Elite 11, Palm Springs 3; G2—Hutchinson 7, 316 Elite 4; G3—Hutchinson 6, Palm Springs 5
POOL B—1—Wichita Sluggers 2-0; 2—Denver (Colo.) Cougars 1-1; 3—Wellington Heat 0-2; G1—Sluggers 8, Wellington 1; G2—Wichita 10, Denver 3; G3—Denver 5, Wellington 4
POOL C—1—Derby Twins 2-0; 2—Dodge City A’s 1-1; 3—Jasper (Ind.) Reds 0-2; G1–Derby 7, Jasper 1; G2—Derby 10, Dodge City 3; G3—Dodge City 10, Jasper Reds 0
POOL D—1—Hays Larks 1-1 (8-5); 2—Great Bend Bat Cats 1-1 (10-11); 3—Waco (Texas) Missions 1-1 (7-9); G1—Hays 4, Waco 0; G2–Bat Cats 5, Hays 4; G3—Waco 7, Bat Cats 5
TUESDAY’S BRACKET PLAY
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
WEDNESDAY'S BRACKET PLAY
Derby Twins vs. Hays Larks
Hutchinson Monarchs vs. Great Bend Bat Cats
THURSDAY’S BRACKET PLAY
POOL 1—THURSDAY—G1—San Diego Waves vs. Texas Express, 1; G2—Cheney Diamond Dawgs vs. Seattle Studs, 7; SATURDAY—G3—winners; G4—losers
POOL 2—FRIDAY—G1—Game Day (Colo.) Saints vs. qualifier 1; G2—Santa Barbara (Calif.) Foresters vs. Haysville Aviators, 7; SUNDAY—G3—winners; G4—losers
POOL 3—THURSDAY—G1—Kansas Cannons vs. San Antonio Angels, 3:30; G2—Colorado Cyclones vs. Fairbanks Goldpanners, 9:30; SATURDAY—G3—winners; G4—losers
POOL 4—FRIDAY—G1—Lonestar Baseball vs. qualifier, 3:30; G1—Liberal Bee Jays vs. San Diego Stars, 9:30; SUNDAY—G3—winners; G4—losers
