A Fine Finish on the Fourth

In a game Liberal almost had to win to stay in the hunt for first in the Jayhawk League, multiple BJ’s stepped up in the clutch in front of a large 4th of July crowd at Brent Gould Field Wednesday night. The BJ’s broke a 3-3 tie with four runs in the eighth. The Bee Jays are a 1/2 game out of first place behind the A’s after the win.

Dodge City, who defeated the BJ’s 16-4 on the 4th of July last year, scored two in the first. The BJ’s scored one in the first when Seward’s Tanner Rainey sizzled a single to center to scored Wichita State’s Tyler Baker who had singled.

Dodge added a run in the fourth to lead 3-1. Liberal countered with a run in the bottom of the fourth when UTA’s Derek Miller delivered a suicide squeeze bunt to drive home Rainey.

Liberal tied the game in the fifth when Seward’s Jake Barrios delivered a clutch two out single to tie the game. Dodge City would then get out of a bases loaded jam.

The game remained tied until the eighth when Tanner Rainey led off with a bunt single and several pitches later made it to third after a wild throw by the pitcher on a pick off move to first. Barrios grounded a single to right through the drawn in infield to make it 4-3. UTA’s Travis Sibley lined a home run over the left field wall for a three run shot to make it 7-3.

On the mound, UTA’s Chad Nack pitched seven innings and allowed three runs in a no decision. Seminole State’s Cale Russell pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

Liberal is 19-8 overall and 13-8 in the Jayhawk and snaps Dodge City’s nine game winning streak. The A’s still lead the Jayhawk at 13-7. Liberal begins a three game series at Derby Friday night at 7 p.m. on Talkradio 1270 and kscbnews.net.

Also Wednesday night, Derby beat Haysville 4-2 in Derby.

Standings

Dodge City 13-7

Liberal 13-8

Hays 12-9

Derby 11-13

El Dorado 10-14

Haysville 8-16