BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HILLSBORO — Just when it appeared the Great Bend Bat Cats were prepared to challenge for first place, reality struck with a doubleheader loss to the last-place Wichita Sluggers Thursday. The Sluggers stunned the Bats Cats 6-0 and 5-4 in a Sunflower Collegiate League doubleheader. The Sluggers entered the twin bill in last place.
The Bat Cats (5-4) trail Cheney (9-0) by 4 games heading to a showdown with the Diamond Dawgs, Saturday at Cheney and Sunday back home. The Wichita Sluggers improve to 3-7.
SLUGGERS 6, BAT CATS 0 (G1) — Wichita Sluggers pitcher Gage Axline baffled the Great Bend Bat Cats on a two-hitter in a 6-0 victory in Thursday’s Sunflower Collegiate League baseball opener. Medicine Lodge’s Axline struck out four batters.
The Bat Cats stranded two baserunners in the second inning when Brenden Tauber was retired. Dawson Pomeroy and Daunte Freeman reached base in the seventh, but Axline retired Zach Poe, Brady Michel and Chase Gibson to end the game.
Neosho County's Adam Theis drilled a two-run homer and doubled to lead the Sluggers against starter Zachary Brizendine. Abel Osario drove home Mason Hartman with a first-inning sacrifice fly. Chris Lopez and Caden Kohort delivered RBI singles and Lopez scored on a sixth-inning wild pitch.
SLUGGERS 5, BAT CATS 4 (G2) — Zach Baxley scored the game-winning run on a sixth-inning wild pitch. Bat Cat Luke Repka drilled a seventh-inning homer, but pitcher Josh Dotson retired Nolan Riley and Chandler Bloomer to end the game.
Chandler Bloomer drove home Nolan Riley for a 1-0 lead. Daunte Freeman drilled a two-run homer for two unearned runs after Nolan Riley reached on a third inning error for a 3-0 lead.
Slugger Mason Hartman singled home Caden Kohout in the third inning. Abel Osario homered in the fourth frame. Hartman's double scored Drake and Kohout for a 4-3 lead.
Great Bend Bat Cats 000 000 0 — 0 2 0
Wichita Sluggers 100 023 x — 6 8 0
Brizendine and Gibson. Axline and Osario. W—Axline. L—Brizendine. 2B—WS—Theis. HR—WS—Theis.
Great Bend Bat Cats 102 000 1 — 4 8 0
Wichita Sluggers 001 121 x — 5 6 1
Mossa, Poe (6) and Carpenter. Dotson and Osario. W—Dotson. L—Mossa. HR—GB—Freeman. HR—GB—Repka.
SUNFLOWER WEST
Cheney Diamond Dawgs 9-0
Great Bend Bat Cats 5-4
Hutchinson Monarchs 5-4
Wichita Sluggers 3-7
Andale Warhawks 1-7
SUNFLOWER EAST
El Dorado Broncos 6-3
Haysville Aviators 6-4
Derby Twins 5-4
Mulvane Patriots 4-5
Newton Rebels 3-7
SUNFLOWER INDEPENDENT
Salina Shock 3-4
THURSDAY
Wichita Sluggers 6-0, 5-4 Great Bend Bat Cats
Cheney Diamond Dawgs 10, Hutchinson Monarchs 9
El Dorado Broncos 6, Newton Rebels 5
Haysville Aviators 3, Derby Twins 2
Salina Shock 12, Andale Warhawks 1
FRIDAY
Cheney Diamond Dawgs at Hutchinson Monarchs
Derby Twins at Havsville Avistors
Newton Rebels at El Dorado Broncos
Salina Shock at Mulvane Patriots
SATURDAY
Great Bend Bat Cats at Cheney Diamond Dawgs, 6 p.m.
Derby Twins at Mulvane Patriots
Havsville Aviators at El Dorado Broncos
Hutchinson Monarchs at Andale Warhawks
Wichita Sluggers at Salina Shock
SUNDAY
Cheney Diamond Dawgs at Great Bend Bat Cats , 7 p.m.
Havsville Aviators at El Dorado Broncos
Hutchinson Monarchs at Andale Warhawks
Mulvane Patriots at Derby Twins
