BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HUTCHINSON – It was Nolan Riley's day to shine.
Former Barton County Cougar Riley homered and drove home six runs to spark the Great Bend Bat Cats to a 13-0 victory over Wichita 316 Elite in Friday's first-round elimination game at the NBC Baseball World Series.
Riley led the Sunflower Collegiate League in batting average. He estimates he's played in 40 baseball games at Hobart-Detter Field. He's signed to play baseball with Arkansas-Fort Smith, a NCAA Division 2 program. Riley is batting 5 for 8 in two NBC Tournament appearances. The Bat Cats delivered six extra-base hits in 95-degree heat.
"You can definitely pick up the baseball at Hobart-Detter and I'm seeing it well right now," Riley said. "This summer has been really good for me. My confidence is up. No matter what the count is, I'm ready to hit. It doesn't matter what they're throwing. I'm letting it fly."
Riley's two-run first-inning homer was followed by Jordan Maxson's homer for a 3-0 lead. Zane Spinn doubled home Kyle Gates. Alex Rodgers and Spinn scored on Maxson's second-inning single for a 6-0 lead.
Gates doubled home Tyler Henry and Gates scored on an error after stealing third base. Riley singled home Rodgers for a 9-0 lead after three innings. The Bat Cats scored four unearned fourth-inning runs after an error and missed third strike. Gates singled home Austin Bonnel. Riley's bases-clearing double scored Henry, Gates and Rodgers, who scored four runs.
Bat Cats starting pitcher Jake Kuntzendorf (6-2) threw four scoreless innings. Spencer Maley threw one shutout inning.
"This is what we needed," said Bat Cats coach Roger Ward. "We got guys going with the bats and saved our pitching. We put the ball in play. We had a good plan and approach at the plate."
The Bat Cats (28-16) play the Santa Barbara (Calif.)/Wichita 316 Sluggers loser in Sunday's elimination game. The Sunflower League runner-up Sluggers have won five of six games against the Bat Cats.
Wichita Elite 000 00 – 0 2 4
GB Bat Cats 333 4x – 13 11 0
Pierce, Geisler (2), O'Toole (4) and Unrein. Kuntzendorf, Maley (5) and Allen. W–Kuntzendorf, 6-2. L–Pierce. 2B–GB–Rodgers, Riley, Spinn, Henry. HR–GB–Riley, Maxson.
2021 NBC WORLD SERIES
HUTCHINSON, HOBART DETTER
WEDNESDAY–G5–Cheney Diamond Dawgs 9, Boulder (Colo.) Collegians 4; G6–Derby Twins 5, Liberal Bee Jays 4; G7–Lonestar, Texas 7, Great Bend Bat Cats 5; G8–Seattle Studs 14, Wichita 316 Elite 0
THURSDAY–Wichita Sluggers 11, Puerto Rico 1; G3–Hays Larks 16, Mid-Crest (Ill.) Pumas 8; G4–Hutchinson Monarchs 4, San Diego Stars 3; G1–Santa Barbara (Calif.) Foresters 14, Waco (Texas) Sultanes 0
FRIDAY–G11–Liberal 11, Boulder, Colo. 3; G12–Great Bend Bat Cats 13, Wichita Sluggers 0; G15–Cheney 15, Derby 7; G16–Lonestar, Texas 10, Seattle 8
SATURDAY–G9–Waco 16, ;Puerto Rico 11; G10–Mid-Crest (Ill.) 11, San Diego Stars 3; G14–Hays Larks 13, Hutchinson Monarchs 1; G13–Santa Barbara (Calif.) 9, Sluggers 4
SUNDAY–G18–Derby Twins 10, Mid-Crest (Ill.) 4; G17–Seattle Studs 6, Waco 3; G20–Great Bend Bat Cats 9, Sluggers 1; G19–Liberal Bee Jays vs. Hutchinson Monarchs
WICHITA RIVERFRONT STADIUM
MONDAY–G21–Santa Barbara (32-7) vs. Hays Larks (31-6); G22–Cheney Diamond Dawgs (30-18) vs. Lonestar, Texas (21-1)
TUESDAY–G23–Derby Twins (28-22) vs. Seattle Studs; G24–Great Bend Bat Cats (29-16) vs. Liberal (30-7)/Hutchinson (34-11) winner
