BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

As losses go, this one hurt the Great Bend Bat Cats.

Kingman rallied from a 3-0 deficit for a wild and crazy 6-5 comeback victory Saturday to hand the Bat Cats their fifth loss in six games. Great Bend (20-8, 16-7) has lost four of the past six games after taking an early lead.

As they say in the big leagues — it was a team effort. 

The Bat Cats contributed to their own demise with six walks, four errors and four hit batters. Kingman's first runners scored after reaching base on two walks and a hit batter. The final three runs scored after errors.

Did we mention the game was delayed by water sprinklers being activated?

The Bat Cats led 3-0. Dre Amaral scored on a Kyle Gates' third-inning chopper in front of home plate. Si Schumacher scored on a fourth-inning error. Amaral scored on a Hunter Gotreaux seventh-inning single.

Bat Cats reliever Brett Allen gift wrapped Kingman's 5-run eighth inning with two walks and a hit batter before Gavin Beratta delivered a 2-run double. Two runs scored when Bat Cat first baseman Simon Larranaga committed two errors on one play. Larranaga's foot left first base on Allen's throw on a groundball by Bradley Neill. Two runs scored when Larranaga threw the ball past catcher Schumacher. Gavin Djorovic's RBI single made it 5-3. Right fielder Colby Christian prevented a run by throwing Djorovic out at home on Ezra Farmer's single.

Riley Silva scored on Christian's eighth-inning groundout for a 5-4 score. George Austin's error on a bunt by Derick Johnson handed Kingman an unearned run when Hogan Shelby scored on a Ben Waliczek groundball for a 6-4 lead. 

Before the drama ended, outfield sprinklers triggered, making for a brief ninth-inning delay. 

When play resumed, Bodi Wallar's walk forced home Dawson French. Reliever Mason Munz struck out "Mighty Casey" Christian to end the ballgame. Kingman celebrated like the Islanders won the NBC World Series.

The Bat Cats, AKA the Mudville Nine, had lost again.

Kingman 000 000 051 — 6 8 3

GB Bat Cats 000 000 011 — 5 7 1

Maley, Russell (7), Munz (9) and Foufoulas. Rose, Brett Allen (6), Austin (8), Howell (9) and Schumacher. W—Russell. L—B. Allen 0-1. SV—Munz. 2B—GB—Amaral; K—Beratta.

2022 BAT CATS SCHEDULE

BAT CATS (20-8, 16-7)

W—McPherson Pipeliners  12-5 (W Albus 1-0)

W—Hays Larks 5-3 (W Lanik 1-0)

L— Hays Larks, 0-8 (L Gonzalez 0-1)

W —316 Elite, 9-5 (W Stuart 1-0)

W —316 Elite, 3-2 (W Austin 1-0)

W—Dodge City A’s, 5-2 (W Riley 1-0)

W—Dodge City A’s, 18-1 (W Tower 1-0)

W—Mulvane Patriots, 15-2 (W Lanik 2-0)

W—Mulvane Patriots, 7-1 (W Gonzalez 1-1)

W— Mulvane Patriots, 8-0 (W Albus 2-0)

W— Mulvane Patriots, 11-0 (W Stuart 2-0)

W—316 Elite, 15-0 (W Nedved 1-0)

W—316 Elite, 13-1 (W Howell 1-0)

W—Newton Rebels, 4-1 (W Tower 2-0)

W—Newton Rebels, 11-7 (W Austin 2-0)

W—Newton Rebels, 6-3 (W Lanik 3-0) 

L—Newton Rebels, 2-6 (L Albus 1-2)

L—Haysville Aviators, 3-4 (L Rose 0-1) 

W—Haysville Aviators, 8-1 (W Tower 3-0) 

W—Haysville Aviators, 6-3 (W Lanik 4-0) 

W—Haysville Aviators, 7-5 (W Riley 2-0)

W—Hutchinson Monarchs, 4-3 (W Thornton 1-0) 

L—Hutchinson Monarchs, 2-6 (L Albus 1-3) 

L—Hutchinson Monarchs, 6-14 (L Tower 2-1)

L—Hutchinson Monarchs, 3-7 (L Lanik 4-1)

W—Kingman Islanders, 17-1 (W Stuart 3-1)

L—Kingman Islanders, 3-4 (L Nedved 2-1)

L—Kingman Islanders, 5-6 (L Brett Allen 0-1)

W—Kingman Islanders, 4-3 (W McWilliams 1-0)

7-7—Derby Twins, 7

7-8—at Derby Twins, 7

7-9—Derby Twins, 6

7-10—at Derby Twins, 7

7-12—Cheney, 7

7-13—at Cheney, 7

7-14—Cheney, 7

7-15—at Cheney, 7

7-18—at Wichita Lobos, 7

7-19—Wichita Lobos, 7

7-20—at Wichita Lobos, 7

7-21—Wichita Lobos, 7