Bat Cats split twin bill
BY JIM MISUNAS
LIBERAL – Great Bend’s Grant Nottlemann (Barton County) delivered a 2-run single and Bat Cat relievers five outs for a 5-3 victory over the Liberal BeeJays Wednesday. Liberal won the nightcap 5-2.
The Bat Cats (17-5, 15-3 Sunflower) scored five third-inning runs against starter Colby Diduch. The Bat Cats return home Thursday at Al Burns Memorial Field to start a 3-game series with the Colorado Springs Cage Rats. Liberal drops to 13-4.
Brady Kreutzer and Connor Chaves walked. Robby Bolin singled to left field to drive home Kreutzer when Liberal shortstop Nick Husovsky vacated his position for a potential double play groundball.
Jake Tatom walked. Jackson Webster singled in Chavez. Peyton Roberson’s walk forced home Bolin. Nottlemann’s clutch single brought home Jake Tatum and Webster for a 5-0 lead.
Australian Bat Cat starter Brett Allen was brilliant for five innings, but Justin Hudson drilled a 3-run homer to drive home Ethan Calder and Sawyer Chesney.
Reliever Bryan Bartles recorded two outs. Kevin Schoneboom earned the save and stranded two baserunners by retiring Holden Kiser and Husovsky in the seventh inning.
LIBERAL 5, BAT CATS 2 (G2) – Liberal scored five runs off Bat Cats starter Paco Hernandez. River Jackson and Walter Polk delivered third-inning RBIs. Jett Brown drilled a 2-run single and Mateo Garcia added an RBI single in a 3-run fourth inning that started with an error and hit batter.
The Bat Cats led 1-0 when Chavez scored when Bolin’s third-inning fly ball double was lost in the lights. Armani Raygoza singled home Bolin for a 2-0 lead.
GB Bat Cats 005 000 0 – 5 8 1
Liberal 000 030 0 – 3 3 2
Brett Allen, Bartles (6), Schoneboom (7) and Nottlemann. Diduch, Najar (4), Slatten (6) and Shafer. W—Allen, 2-2. L—Diduch. SV—Schoneboom. 2B—GB—Raygoza, Webster, Nottlemann.
GB Bat Cats 002 000 0 – 2 6 1
Liberal 002 300 x – 5 5 1
Hernandez, Jones (4) and Wentling. Phillips, Ronquist (6) and Lukes. W—Phillips. L—Hernandez, 1-1. 2B—GB—Bolin; L--Garcia.
SUNFLOWER COLLEGIATE
Great Bend Bat Cats 15-3
Kansas Cannons 12-6
Derby Twins 9-9
Haysville Aviators 8-8
Newton Rebels 7-10
Hutchinson Monarchs 7-11
Kingman Islanders 3-14
6-27—Aviators 7, Cannons 0; Rebels 6, Twins 5
6-28—Bat Cats 5. Liberal 3; Cannons 9, Aviators 7; Monarchs 6, Islanders 0; Islanders 4, Monarchs 1; Twins 7, Rebels 4
6-29—Colorado Springs at Bat Cats; Hays Larks at Cannons
6-30—Colorado Springs at Bat Cats; Dodge City at Twins; Rebels at Aviators
