Fast Start Lifts Liberal Over Derby

The Liberal Bee Jays scored nine in the first four innings on the way to a 9-6 win over the Derby Twins in Derby Tuesday night. They hit five homers in the much needed win. On a day when it was 101 degrees with a heat index of 106 during batting practice, the BJ’s got the hot start they needed.

They pieced together the pitching. Zach Autin went four innings allowing one run. Tyler Tognarine pitched 2 and 2/3 allowing one run. Thomas Garland went two in game allowing four and Trent Maloney pitched 1/3 for his first save.

Liberal scored three in the first with two outs. Colton Onstott homered to left center for a two run shot and his second of the season. Kyle Schmidt singled home a run. The Bee Jays scored two more in the second with two outs.  Garrett Scott hit a prodigious shot to left center for his second of the year and Cale O’Donnell made it back to back homers with a home run to right for his second of the season. Derby scored one in the bottom of the second to make it 5-1.  Kyle Schmidt doubled to begin the third and hometown product Nate Crossman delighted his family looking on with a homer to left. Liberal added two more in the fourth as Jaron Robinson homered to left for his second of the year and Marcus Shoemaker added an RBI single for a 9-1 lead. The Twins scored again in the seventh to make it 9-2. Derby’s Brett Fehr hit a grand slam with two outs and two strikes in the ninth to make things interesting. But Gage Teer made a fine play on a chopper to third to win it. The Bee Jays out hit Derby 19-8.

Liberal moves to 1.5 games out of first with the win at 23-11. Hays won two over Dodge City and is 24-9. Derby is 24-10. Dodge is 20-13. Liberal plays at Derby again Wednesday night at 7 with the Dugout Show at 6:45 on 1270 and kscbnews.net.