By JIM MISUNAS
The Great Bend Bat Cats’ greatest baseball game of the summer ended in typical frustration Tuesday at Al Burns Memorial Field.
The Hays Larks struck gold in the lucky 13th inning, scoring seven times for a hard-fought 14-7 Jayhawk League victory over the Bat Cats.
Larks Wyatt Divis and Jacob Boston delivered two-run singles and John Randel hit the go-ahead single that scored Scott Wolverton. The inning started with two walks and an error. Nine of 12 baserunners reached base against reliever Brendan Madsen.
Larks left fielder Jacob Boston saved the ballgame on a diving 12th-inning catch on a potential game-winning hit by Austin McNicholas.
The Bat Cats turned three double plays. Reliever Marco Gutierrez threw an epic 149 pitches. The Bat Cat pitchers threw 281 pitches in the 41/2-hour marathon.
The Hays Larks (15-4) lead the Jayhawk League while the Bat Cats (7-15) are the second-worst team. The Bat Cats visit Hays Wednesday night.
The Bat Cats battled Jayhawk League leader Hays for 12 innings to a 7-7 tie. Gutierrez worked 7 1/3 innings, holding the high-powered Larks after the fifth inning.
Both teams scored runs in the 11th-inning. Bat Cats right fielder Brennan Fontenot dropped an 11th-inning fly ball that scored Boston for the go-ahead run.
But Chris Swanberg, the Bat Cats’ clutch hitter, delivered the tying run with a bloop single to left field that scored Gavin Johnson for a 7-7 tie.
The Bat Cats led 2-0 after one inning. Chris Swanberg singled home Reece Johnson and Austin McNicholas.
Hays scored the next five runs. Jacob Boston homered in the second inning. Clayton Rasbeary scored in the fourth inning. John Rensel’s single scored Daryl Myers and Wyatt Divis for a 4-2 lead after five innings. Devin Hager’s sixth-inning single scored Rasbeary for a 5-2 lead.
The Bat Cats rallied with a four-run sixth inning. Nick Urban-Michalak scored on a wild pitch. Brendan Madsen scored on a passed ball. Austin McNicholas singled home Thomas Alexander and McNicholas scored on an error for a 6-5 lead.
Rasbeary’s seventh-inning single scored John Rensel for a 6-6 through seven innings.
Hays Larks 010 121 100 010 7 – 14 18 5
GB Bat Cats 200 004 000 010 0 – 7 9 3
Tavera, Scoles (6), Slusser (8), Browning (9) and Solomon, Wolverton (11). Curry, Gutierrez (5), Madsen (13) and Gavin Johnson. W—Browning. L—Gutierrez. 2B—H—Rensel. 3B—H—Rasbeary. HR—H—Boston.
JAYHAWK LEAGUE
Hays Larks 15-4
Liberal Beejays 13-8
El Dorado Broncos 12-10
Derby Twins 10-9
Dodge City A’s 8-9
GB Bat Cats 7-15
Haysville Aviators 5-15
JULY 4
Great Bend at Hays
Haysville at Derby
Liberal at Dodge City
TUESDAY, JULY 3
Hays 14, Great Bend 7, 13 innings
Derby 6, El Dorado 2
MONDAY, JULY 2
Hays 15, Dodge City 5
SUNDAY, JULY 1
El Dorado 21, Great Bend 2
SATURDAY, JUNE 30
El Dorado 16, Great Bend 6
Liberal 10, Dodge City 9
Hays 6, Haysville 9
FRIDAY, JUNE 29
Great Bend 8, El Dorado 6
Hays 9, Haysville 1
Dodge City 10, Liberal 4
THURSDAY, JUNE 28
Derby 14, Great Bend 7
El Dorado 9, Haysville 5
Haysville 10, El Dorado 9
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27
Great Bend 17, Derby 2
Great Bend 3, Derby 1
Hays 17, Dodge City 11
El Dorado 7, Haysville 5
TUESDAY, JUNE 26
Dodge City 10, Liberal 4
MONDAY, JUNE 25
Dodge City 6, Hays 2
SUNDAY, JUNE 24
El Dorado 8, Great Bend 0
Liberal 12, Havsville 6
Hays 26, Derby 1
SATURDAY, JUNE 23
El Dorado 10, Great Bend 2
Hays 2, Derby 0, 11 innings
Hays 26 Derby 1
Liberal 12, Haysville 4
FRIDAY, JUNE 22
El Dorado 4, Great Bend 3
Hays 0, Derby 0, 11 innings, suspended
THURSDAY, JUNE 21
Great Bend 8, Liberal 4
Liberal 5, Great Bend 4
Derby 9, El Dorado 4
El Dorado 3, Derby 2
Hays 6, Dodge City 5
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20
El Dorado 8, Haysville 4
Dodge City 5, Hays 3
TUESDAY, JUNE 19
Liberal 10, Great Bend 2
Derby 9, Haysville 4
SUNDAY, JUNE 17
Liberal 5, El Dorado 1
Liberal 7, El Dorado 5
Derby 11, Dodge City 4
SATURDAY, JUNE 16
Great Bend 11, Haysville 4
Dodge City 13, Derby 3
FRIDAY, JUNE 15
Great Bend 17, Haysville 8
Derby 12, Dodge City 6
Liberal 10, El Dorado 8
THURSDAY, JUNE 14
Haysville 11, Great Bend 10
Derby 12, Dodge City 6
Liberal 10, El Dorado 8
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13
Great Bend 8, Derby 5
Liberal 6, Hays 5
Derby 3, El Dorado 2
TUESDAY, JUNE 12
Derby 15, Great Bend 7
Hays 2, Liberal 1
El Dorado 21, Dodge City 11
MONDAY, JUNE 11
Derby 5, Great Bend 4
SUNDAY, JUNE 10
Hays 5, El Dorado 4
Derby 11, Liberal 5
SATURDAY, JUNE 9
Great Bend 7-6, 10-6 OKC
Dodge City 10, Haysville 5
Hays 10, El Dorado 2
Liberal 11, Derby 2
FRIDAY, JUNE 8
Great Bend 7, OKC 6
Haysville 12, Dodge City 8
El Dorado 5, Hays 1
Derby 11, Liberal 4
THURSDAY, JUNE 7
Hays 4, Great Bend 3
Liberal 16, Haysville 4
