Bee Jays Settle for Split to Lose Hays Series

The Liberal Bee Jays had to settle for a split of two game Thursday night at Brent Gould Field.  Liberal won the first game 6-5 and Hays took game two 8-6.  The Hays Larks win the series 2-1 over the Bee Jays.  Liberal has lost two straight Jayhawk League series.

In game one, Zach Zeller battled the win and the Larks going 5 and 1/3 innings allowing five runs.  Ryan Thomas, the son of former BJ player and coach Darrin Thomas, pitched 1 and 2/3 for the save.  The Larks took a 3-0 lead with one in the third and two in the fourth.  The BJ’s rallied with four in the fourth.  Clint Allen led off the inning with a homer to center.  Peyton Johnson ripped a double to left center to score a run and make it 3-2.  Dylan Paul’s triple to right center scored two to make it 4-3.  Liberal added two in the fifth as Jonathan Tapia lined a double to left and Allen doubled him home with a ground ball down third.  Johnson singled home Allen for the 6-4 lead.  Hays scored two in the sixth to make it 6-5.  Thomas worked a scoreless seventh for the win.  Liberal out-hit Hays 9-7.

In game two, the Larks scored one in the first, two in the second, and one in the third against starter Hayden Udall to lead 4-0.  Dylan Paul went 3 and 2/3 allowing just one run to keep the Bee Jays in the game.  Hays helped Liberal back in the game in the fifth with three walks and a bean ball.  The first two BJ’s walked to begin the inning.  Newcomer RJ Pearson singled.  Dane Simon was beaned to score a run.  Brock Burton walked to score a run.  Boone Montgomery singled home two to tie it.  Tom Lichty singled home two to make it 6-4 BJ’s.  The first two Larks struck out to begin the seventh.  Two straight hitters faced 0-2 counts but walked and singled and Matt Munoz homered to left center for the 8-6 Hays lead.

It was a big swing game early in the season for the BJ’s who would have been in first with a win but are in third with a loss.  Liberal is 7-5 overall and 5-4 in the Jayhawk.  Hays is 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the Jayhawk.  Derby is in second and 5-3.

Liberal begins a three game series with the El Dorado Broncos Friday night at 7 at Brent Gould Field.  Madden Oil is the buyout sponsor.  Pre-game begins at 6:45 on 1270 and kscbnews.net.

Game 1 audio:

Game 2 audio: