Jayhawk Race Tightens

The Liberal Bee Jays control their own destiny in the Jayhawk League race after a 5-3 win at Derby Thursday night. Liberal is a half game out of first trailing Hays (15-10) and Haysville (17-12) after the Larks won 4-3 in Haysville Thursday night to claim two of three in the series.

The BJ’s won despite committing two errors and a Derby three run first. But lefty Jared Moore helped pace the Twins holding them scoreless the next five innings. Moore pitched six inningsp allowing two earned runs with five strikeouts and one walk in a no decision. Brent Harrison (2-1) pitched a scoreless seventh for the win. Cale Elam pitched two scoreless innings for his sixth save.

Liberal placed their leadoff man on base in seven of nine innings. The scored in the fifth when Blake Bergeron singled home Ross Kivett to make it 3-1. The BJ’s chased home another run in the seventh when Kivett bounced out to first but drove home Reagan Pearson to make it 3-2.

The BJ’s broke through in the eighth with three runs. Bergeron doubled to lead off the inning and Reyn Nagamine singled him home. With one out Derby pitching proceeded to walk three straight including a walk to Pearson with the bases loaded to give Liberal a 4-3 lead. Micah Green lined a sacrifice fly to left to make it 5-3 BJ’s.

Bergeron was 3-5 and Nagamine was 3-4 in the win.

Liberal is 25-12 overall and 15-11 in the Jayhawk while Derby falls to 20-13 and 16-13 in the Jayhawk.

Liberal controls their own destiny to win the Jayhawk. They host Dodge City Saturday night at Brent Gould Field at 7 p.m. on Talkradio 1270.

Jayhawk Standings

Haysville 17-12

Hays 15-10

Liberal 15-11

Derby 16-13

Dodge City 9-16

El Dorado 9-19