BJ’s Rally Past Larks

It wasn’t pretty, but it was an exciting ball game Sunday night at Brent Gould Field. Both teams had four errors a piece and Hays walked nine batters as Liberal came back from down 6-2 and 7-4 to win 8-7 at Brent Gould Field in Liberal.

Hays’ RJ Williams and Liberal’s Brent Williams traded solo home runs in the first. Liberal took a 2-1 lead in the third when Troy LaBrie singled home a run but the BJ’s stranded seven runners on base in the first three innings. Hays came back with two runs on three hits and three BJ errors in the fourth against starter Jarret Gray. Hays added three more in the fifth to lead 6-2. Luke Sherley walked with the bases loaded in the fifth and Bryson Allen hit a sacrifice fly to left to make it 6-4. The Larks scored another in the seventh to lead 7-4. It was Hays turn to struggle on defense in the seventh with three errors. Jaylen Hubbard reached on an error to score two runs. Brent Williams doubled to deep left to score two runs and give Liberal the 8-7 lead with two outs. In the eighth, Liberal’s Gavin Wehby shined defensively with a leaping catch at the warning track and sliding catch on a sinking line drive.

After Gray went 4.1 innings allowing six runs and five earned, Colby Price pitched 2.2 innings without allowing an earned run. Thomas Garland pitched 1.1 innings for the save.

Liberal remains first in the Jayhawk League North at 14-6 and 10-5 in the league while Hays is 11-9 and 8-7. The same two teams play Monday night at 7 at Brent Gould Field with the Dugout Show at 6:45 on 1270 and kscbnews.net. Holiday Inn Express is the buyout sponsor.