BJ Bats Breakthrough

Liberal scored 10 runs their previous four games. But Sunday night, the BJ bats came alive in a 16-11 win at Dodge City in a game which lasted 3 and 1/2 hours at Cavalier Field. The BJ’s pounded out 19 hits and were solid defensively with just one error. Dodge committed five errors.

Liberal’s big inning was nine run, eight hit third. All nine runs came with two outs and the runs were unearned. The Bee Jays strung together six consecutive singles during the inning including RBI singles by Reagan Pearson, Blake Bergeron, Toby Semler, and Micah Green. The big blow to A’s pitching during the inning was a three-RBI double by Greg McCall.

Liberal added a run in the fourth wen Semler provided an RBI single and two runs in the fifth when Reyn Nagamine provided a two-out, two-RBI single to make it 12-7 BJ’s.

The BJ’s plated three in the sixth when Micah Green doubled home two down the left field line and Ross Kivett singled him home. The BJ’s added a run in the seventh thanks to an error.

Reyn Nagamine was 4-5 with two RBI’s while Ross Kivett was 4-6 with an RBI. Micah Green was 2-4 with three RBI’s and Ryan Walker went 2-5 with two RBI’s while Blake Bergeron and Toby Semler were both 2-6 with an RBI.

Tyler Rockafellow (3-0) pitched four solid innings for the win in relief of Richard Olsen. The 6’6" righty headed to Dallas Baptist entered the game in the third with four runs already home and no outs. He only allowed one of Olsen’s runners to score. He allowed two runs in four innings. Cale Elam worked two scoreless innings in a non-save situation.

It has been an odd series between the two Southwest Kansas foes this summer. Dodge City took three of four in Liberal this season and Liberal has won all three at Dodge City. The BJ’s are 26-13 overall and 16-12 in the Jayhawk. Dodge is 17-19 overall and 10-17 in the Jayhawk. The A’s visit first place Hays (15-10) Monday night. Liberal hosts Hays Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. on Talkradio 1270 and kscbnews.net.