Bee Jays Take Great Bend Series with Split

The Liberal Bee Jays split a double header in Great Bend against the Bat Cats Thursday evening.  The split means the Bee Jays win the road series 2-1.  The double header Thursday at Al Burns Field and Veterans Park began at 5 after a rain out Wednesday.

The Bat Cats won the first game 8-4.  Liberal out-hit Great Bend 11-10 but the BJ’s stranded 13 runners on base in seven innings.  The Bat Cats scored three in the first as starter Zach Zeller beaned two and walked two in the inning. Clint Allen’s sacrifice fly in the second made it 3-1.   Great Bend added a run in the second for a 4-1 lead.  RJ Pearson walked with the bases loaded to make it 4-2 Bat Cats in the third.  Sean Arnold was beaned with the bases loaded in the sixth but the next two BJ batters struck out.  After an error, Great Bend scored four in the sixth to lead 8-3.  Jonathan Tapia was 3-3 in the loss.  Zeller went 4 and 2/3 innings.  Dylan Paul worked 1 and 1/3 without allowing an earned run.

In game two, the BJ’s got off to a strong start with two in the first.  Tom Lichty ripped a home run over the right field fence for a 2-0 lead.  Boone Montgomery’s single to right in the third made it 3-0.  Liberal added two in the fourth as Channy Ortiz roped  a double to right and Blake Brewster followed suit with a double to right of his own for a 4-0 BJ lead.  Peyton Johnson singled him home.  Liberal sputtered in the bottom of the seventh walking four and beaning one allowing the Bat Cats to score four without a hit.  David Moffat went 6 and 2/3 for the win allowing just four hits.  Christian Isenhour finished the game.  Liberal out- hit Great Bend 10-4. Peyton Johnson was 3-4 and Channy Ortiz was 3-3 with two doubles.

Liberal is 12-6 overall and 10-5 in the Jayhawk while Great Bend is 9-8 and 4-8 in the Jayhawk League.

The Bee Jays have won three of their five series and two of their three road series.  Liberal has claimed two straight series.

Liberal hosts the Haysville Aviators Friday night at 7 at Brent Gould Field with the pre-game at 6:45 on 1270 and kscbnews.net.  Southwest Medical Center is the buyout sponsor and will have prizes.

Game 1 audio:

Game 2 audio: