BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
GODDARD — Great Bend pitcher David Stuart worked seven brilliant innings as the Bat Cats edged past the Kansas Curve 4-3 in Friday's Summerball Showdown. Stuart (5-0) struck out eight batters in a dazzling 90-pitch outing.
Stuart recorded outs on 18 of the last 19 batters he faced after Daylon Valentine's second-inning home run. Stuart picked Brenden Tauber off second base in the third inning. Bat Cats shortstop Carsen Pracht and second baseman Hunter Gotreaux turned a fifth-inning double play.
Kansas Curve pitcher Colton Vercoe threw five shutout innings while yielding six singles. The Bat Cats bunched four singles for a 2-run sixth inning. Carsen Pracht singled home Nolan Riley. Gotreaux singled home Bodi Wallar for a 2-1 lead. Connor Scott drilled a crucial 2-run homer that scored sparkplug Alex Rodgers after a leadoff seventh-inning single for a 4-1 lead.
Bat Cats reliever Matt Nedved cruised through the eighth inning. But the Kansas Curve rallied in the ninth inning. Liam Pollock doubled home Tauber to spark a 2-run ninth inning. Pollock scored on Valentine's 2-out single. But first baseman Bodi Wallar caught Henry Hayman's pop fly for the game's decisive out.
The Bat Cats (32-12) will play in Saturday's 7 p.m. quarterfinals against Omaha (Neb.) Corn Belt at the Genesis Sports Complex.
Kansas Curve 001 000 002 — 3 6 0
GB Bat Cats 000 002 20x — 4 13 1
Vercoe, Alger (7), Erue (8) and Pike. Stuart, Nedved (8) and Connor Allen. W—Stuart, 5-0. L—Vercoe. 2B—KC—Pollock. HR—GB—Scott; KC—Valentine.
BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
GODDARD — Great Bend pitcher David Stuart worked seven brilliant innings as the Bat Cats edged past the Kansas Curve 4-3 in Friday's Summerball Showdown. Stuart (5-0) struck out eight batters in a dazzling 90-pitch outing.
Stuart recorded outs on 18 of the last 19 batters he faced after Daylon Valentine's second-inning home run. Stuart picked Brenden Tauber off second base in the third inning. Bat Cats shortstop Carsen Pracht and second baseman Hunter Gotreaux turned a fifth-inning double play.
Kansas Curve pitcher Colton Vercoe threw five shutout innings while yielding six singles. The Bat Cats bunched four singles for a 2-run sixth inning. Carsen Pracht singled home Nolan Riley. Gotreaux singled home Bodi Wallar for a 2-1 lead. Connor Scott drilled a crucial 2-run homer that scored sparkplug Alex Rodgers after a leadoff seventh-inning single for a 4-1 lead.
Bat Cats reliever Matt Nedved cruised through the eighth inning. But the Kansas Curve rallied in the ninth inning. Liam Pollock doubled home Tauber to spark a 2-run ninth inning. Pollock scored on Valentine's 2-out single. But first baseman Bodi Wallar caught Henry Hayman's pop fly for the game's decisive out.
The Bat Cats (32-12) will play in Saturday's 7 p.m. quarterfinals against Omaha (Neb.) Corn Belt at the Genesis Sports Complex.
Kansas Curve 001 000 002 — 3 6 0
GB Bat Cats 000 002 20x — 4 13 1
Vercoe, Alger (7), Erue (8) and Pike. Stuart, Nedved (8) and Connor Allen. W—Stuart, 5-0. L—Vercoe. 2B—KC—Pollock. HR—GB—Scott; KC—Valentine.
SUMMERBALL SHOWDOWN, GODDARD
SUNDAY’S SEMIFINALS
2 p.m.—(8) Great Bend Bat Cats vs. (5) Wellington Heat
2 p.m.—(7) Wichita Dirtbags vs. El Dorado/Newton winner
7 p.m.—Championship game
SATURDAY'S QUARTERFINALS
(8) Great Bend Bat Cats 11, (1) Corn Belt, Neb. 5
(5) Wellington 10, (4) Park City Rangers 8
(7) Wichita Dirtbags 3, (2) Kansas Cannons 1
(3) El Dorado vs. (11) Newton Rebels
FRIDAY'S BRACKET
(16) Wichita Black Sox 13, (17) ICT Avengers 0; (1) Corn Belt, Neb. 14, (16) Wichita Black Sox 4; (8) Great Bend Bat Cats 4, Kansas Curve 3
(13) Cluckers 6, (20) McPherson 5; (4) Park City 10, (13) Cluckers 0; (5) Wellington 11, (12) Midwest Moos 0
(18) Valley Center 9, (15) Chicago Pumas 7; (2) Kansas Cannons 9, (18) Valley Center 8; (7) Dirtbags 10, (10) Oklahoma City 5
(19) Wichita (316) 12, (14) U.S. Military 3; (3) El Dorado 11, (19) Wichita (316) 4; (11) Newton Rebels 4, (6) Palm Springs 2
