Ward’s Blast Lifts Liberal Late

After falling behind 9-4 after three, the Liberal Bee Jays rallied to stun the Wellington Heat 11-9 in ten innings Wednesday night at Hobbs-Hooten Field in Wellington.  Cayde Ward hit a two run home run in the tenth to break a 9-9 tie.
The Bee Jays scored three in the first.  KP Werner singled and AJ Folds reached on an error.  Cayde Ward hit a sac fly to center.  Scott Anderson doubled down the right field line.  Reed Thomas’s line drive up the middle scored two.  Wellington scored one in the first after Liberal misplayed a ball in left into a triple.  Wellington scored five in the second on four hits and two errors.  The Bee Jays scored a run in the third to make it 6-4.  Cayde Ward walked before Scott Anderson and Reed Thomas singled to load the bases with no outs.  Aidan Shepardson hit a sac fly.  The Heat plated three  more in the third to lead 9-4.  They had two hits and the BJ’s walked three in the inning.  Liberal scored three in the fifth to pull within 9-7.  Cayde Ward walked.  Scott Anderson singled.  With one out Aidan Shepardson walked to load the bases.  Tyler Boggs hit a sac fly to right to score Ward.  Jack Malone walked to load the bases again.  Cason Gregory and KP Werner provided infield RBI hits to make it 9-7.  Neither team scored until the ninth. Scott Anderson and Reed Thomas singled to lead off the inning.  Anderson scored on a wild pitch.  Wyatt Grant’s ground out scored Thomas to tie the game.  In the tenth, AJ Folds singled and Cayde Ward hit a towering home run over the left field wall.  It’s his eighth of the season.
Cole Hillier is the reason the Bee Jays had a chance to come back last night.  Hillier worked six shut out innings in relief with 13 strikeouts and no walks. Scott Anderson was 4-5.  Reed Thomas was 4-6.  Liberal out hit Wellington 14-10 and won despite three errors.
Liberal is 25-6 and 24-5 in KCLB games.  Wellington is 18-18 and 15-17 in the Kansas Collegiate League.
The same two teams play Thursday night at 7 in Wellington.  Dugout Show at 6:45 on 1270 and kscbnews.net.