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OPENING ACT
Bat Cats stun Liberal 9-2
Alex Rodgers rounds first base
Bat Cats outfielder Alex Rodgers rounds first en route to a double in the first inning of Friday night’s game. Rodgers would come around to plate the Bat Cats first run. - photo by Daniel Kiewel

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

When Great Bend Bat Cat Seth Kenagy launched a first-inning home run, baseball was officially back.

A three-month shutdown of sports across Kansas and the country was over. Even in Kenagy's case, the celebration was muted by that dirty word coronavirus.

The Bat Cats made former Liberal Bee Jay Roger Ward proud with a dominating 9-2 victory over the five-time NBC World Series champions from Liberal. One of the largest crowds in Bat Cat history was starved for baseball Thursday night at Al Burns Memorial Field.

Great Bend and Liberal will play again Friday and Saturday night at Al Burns Memorial Field.

Under Ward, the Bat Cats have always played Liberal tough. Bat Cats starter Jarrett Seaton was followed by ace relievers Adrian Talavera and Grant Thompson, who shut out the Bee Jays for seven innings. 

Kenagy, from Kansas City Community College, was a show-stopper. He reached base five consecutive times, turned a sparkling double play and scored three runs. Kenagy blasted a pitch by Liberal starter Tyler Hankins into the night to trigger eight consecutive runs.

Trent Touchet singled home Chandler Bloomer for a 2-0 lead. Tyler Henry scored on Collin Meinert's groundout and Chance Ragsdale scored on a passed ball for a 4-0 lead. Kenagy scored on a third-inning wild pitch for a 5-0 lead, Bloomer doubled home Alex Rodgers for a 6-0 lead.

Second baseman Meinert and shortstop Kenagy turned a vintage 4-6-3 double play on A.J. Folds' fourth-inning groundball. Great Bend native Brady Michel delivered a nice running catch on Jack Malone's fifth-inning fly ball.  

Jake Baker scored on Meinert's fly ball and Ragsdale scored on an error for a 8-0 lead. Touchet's bloop single scored Kenagy with the Bat Cats' ninth run in the eighth inning.

Liberal finally broke up a shutout when Wyatt Grant singled home Caden Trenkle off reliever Murray. Aidan Shepardson doubled and scored on Trenkle's bases-loaded ninth-inning walk. 

Liberal 000 000 011 – 2 8 2 

GB Bat Cats 221 120 01x – 9 11 2 

Hankins, Duffey (3), Heiman (4), Didier (6) and Grant. Seaton, Talavera (3), Grant Thompson (5), Murray (7), Carnahan (9) and Bloomer. W–Talavera. L–Hankins. 2B–BC–Rodgers, Bloomer; L–Shepardson. HR–BC–Kenagy.