ELLINWOOD — The Great Bend Bat Cats will open their 2018 season against the Haven Warhawks at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ellinwood, giving coach Roger Ward an opportunity to personally thank Ellinwood families who have invited players to stay for the summer.
There is no admission to Bat Cats baseball games.
“We want to get other communities involved. Ellinwood families stepped up and we’re thankful for all of the host families,” Ward said. “It can be a big challenge to take on.”
The Bat Cats (26-20) won three games at the NBC World Series last year, beating the Dallas Dirtbags 9-5, the Hattiesburg Black Sox 7-2 and the Inland Empire Golden Bears 8-4. The Cheney Diamond Dawgs beat the Bat Cats 5-3 on two runs on wild pitches.
“We hope to make it back to the NBC World Series,” Ward said. “It’s all about gelling, playing for each other and buying into the program. We built the team the same way, but we have better pitching.”For Barton Cougar pitchers join the pitching staff after the Cougars qualified for the NJCAA World Series at Grand Junction, Colo.
The Bat Cats have attracted a few more Division I players.
“We have several more Division 1 players because what we did last year,” Ward said. “We have serious talent, but they have a lot to prove.”
2018 BAT CATS SCHEDULE
5-30—Haven Warhawks at Ellinwood, 7
6-1—McPherson Pipeliners at Hoisington, 7
6-2—at McPherson Pipelines, 7
6-5—Hays Larks, 7
6-6—at Dodge City A’s, 7
6-7—at Hays Larks, 7
6-8/9/10—OKC Indians, 7
6-11/12/13—at Derby Twins, 7
6-14/15/16—at Haysville Aviators, 7
6-19/20/21—Liberal Beejays, 7
6-22/23/24—at El Dorado Broncos, 7
6-26/27/28—Derby Twins, 7
6-29/30—El Dorado Broncos, 7
7-1—El Dorado Broncos, 7
7-3—Hays Larks, 7
7-4—at Hays Larks, 7
7-6/7/8—Haysville Aviators, 7
7-10—at Dodge City A’s, 7:30
7-11—Fort Collins Foxes, 5:30 (2 games)
7-13/14/15—at Liberal Beejays, 7
7-17—Dodge City A’s, 7
7-18—USA Military, 7
7-21—at Hays Larks, 7
7-22—Hays Larks, 7
7-23—Dodge City A’s, 7
7-24—at Dodge City A’s, 7
7-25—Dodge City A’s, 7
2018 GREAT BEND BAT CATS
2—Austin McNicholas, IF, LSU-Shreveport (Buda, Texas)
3—McKay Banks, OF, Regis (Mesa, Ariz.)
4—Nick Urban-Michalak, UTILITY, A&M Corpus Christi (Racine, Wis.)
6—Chris Swanberg, IF, SW Tennessee (Memphis)
7—Marco Gutierrez, RHP, Tyler (Center, texas)
8—Thomas Alexander, IF, Regis (Idaho Falls, Idaho)
10—Brendan Madsen, OF, Seward (Papillion, Neb.)
11—Nolan Riley, RHP-IF, Barton (Augusta)
12—Johnathan Parry, RHP, Eastern Gateway (Sharpsville, Pa.)
13—Jimmy Cramer, OF, Salem (Burbank, Calif.)
14—Blaine Ray, OF, Kansas (Ottawa)
16—Derek Anderson, RHP, Regis (Gilbert, Ariz.)
17—Jack Bordovsky, IF, A&M Corpus Christi (Victoria, Texas)
18—Anthony Schatz, RHP, Cuesta (Lafayette, Calif.)
20—Kenny Yetter, C, New Orelans (Guthrie, Okla.)
22—Easton Smith, RHP, Barton (Ellis)
23—Zach Curry, RHP, Barton (Ottawa)
26—Daniel Hegarty, LHP, Kansas (Leawood)
27—Zack Berohn, OF, Cuesta (Lafayette, Colo.)
28—Neil Lemmons, RHP, Barton (Wichita)
29—Jordan Monacy, 1B, Temple (Magnolia, Texas)
30—Seth Gerardy, C, Rogers State (Humboldt)
31—Austin Oblas, RHP, Arkansas Tech (Gunter, Texas)
32—Chandler Gant, RHP, SW Tennessee (Nashville)
33—Andrew Schatz, C, Va. Commonwealth (Lafayette, Calif.)
34—Trey Boren, RHP, SW Tennessee (Millington, Tenn.)
39—John Cupps, LHP-IB, Kansas Wesleyan (Oklahoma City)
Coaches—Roger Ward, Matty Holem
