Broncos Take Marathon Over Bee Jays

In a game that lasted over four hours, the El Dorado Broncos outlasted the Liberal Bee Jays 14-13 in 11 innings Friday night at Brent Gould Field. The Bee Jays made a comedy of errors and mistakes as the pitching staff allowed 14 runs on 15 hits, walked nine, and committed seven errors. The BJ’s allowed eight unearned runs.

Liberal scored an unearned run in the first and added three in the second thanks to an RBI double by Kyle Lieser and a two run homer to left by Alec Isaac to make it 4-1 after two. The Broncos jumped on starter Kyle Dale for five runs on five hits in the third to lead 6-4. But Liberal came right back with four runs. After three straight walks, Robert Dugger lined a three RBI triple to right center to make it 7-6 Liberal. Tanner Vandevere singled home Dugger for an 8-6 BJ lead after three. Liberal built an 11-6 lead after four. Seth Stevens singled home a run and Dugger doubled home two more runs. But the game turned in the top of the fifth when El Dorado scored six unearned runs thanks to a pair of BJ errors at shortstop to make it 12-11 El Dorado. Liberal scored in the bottom of the fifth without a hit to tie it at 12. El Dorado scored an unearned run in the sixth to lead 13-12. The BJ’s chased home another run without a hit in the seventh when Alec broke from third as Cox stole second. Then the Bee Jays would go scoreless for the next four innings. Meanwhile Ray Ashford pitched three scoreless innings out of the bullpen for Liberal. Liberal loaded the bases with no outs in the tenth but two strikeouts and a failed suicide squeeze and the BJ’s squandered the opportunity. El Dorado scored yet another unearned run in the eleventh.

The game was played with winds gusting over 35 miles per hour except in the 11th when storms near Liberal caused the wind to blow even more.

liberal is 7-5 overall and 3-5 in the Jayhawk. el Dorado is 5-5 and 2-5 in the Jayhawk. The same two teams play Sunday night at 7 at Brent Gould Field to wrap up the series. The game airs in 1270 and kscbnews.net.

Last night in the Jayhawk, Derby beat Dodge City 18-7 and Wellington edged Hays 3-2.

wellington 7-0

Hays 6-3

Derby 5-4

Luberal 3-5

El Dorado 2-5

Dodge City 1-7