B.J. Pitching and Defense Falters at Dodge City

Things were going swimmingly for the Liberal Bee Jays on the road in Dodge City Saturday night.  In their last game of an 8 game road trip, the Bee Jays hit two home runs in the first and led 4-1 going to the bottom of the fourth.  But Liberal’s pitching and defense struggled as the A’s scored eight in the fourth on the way to an 11-10 win over the Bee Jays Saturday night at Cavalier Field.  Liberal committed five errors and walked 10 batters in the loss.

Owen May homered to right center and Walker Polk pulled a line drive home run down the right field line in the first as Liberal grabbed a 2-0 lead.  The B.J.’s added a run in the third as Owen May tripled to left center and scored on Walker Polk’s ground out.  Dodge City scored one run on one hit, two walks, and one HBP in the third.  Liberal scored without a hit in the fourth to lead 4-1.  Liberal fell apart defensively and on the mound in the fourth as the A’s scored eight runs on four hits, three errors, two walks, and one HBP.  Liberal walked three in the fifth and the A’s scored without a hit to lead 10-4.  The Bee Jays rallied scoring four in the sixth cut the DC lead to 10-8.  Ryuta Kusumoto singled and Coldon Kiser doubled him home.  Isaac Webb doubled home Kiser.  Walker Polk grounded out to score a run.  Liberal tied the game with two runs in the seventh.  River Jackson singled and stole second.  Ethan Calder and Silas Shafer walked.  Ryuta Kusumota singled home a run.  Owen May walked with the bases loaded.  But Liberal did not score again.  Dodge scored in the bottom of the ninth to win it.

The Bee Jays out-hit the A’s 14-11 but committed five errors while the A’s had three.  Liberal had won 15 of the last 16 against DC until the loss.  Liberal finished 4-4 on the road trip and allowed double digit runs four times on the trip.  Dodge City is 13-15 overall and 7-9 in the Rocky Mountain League.  Liberal is 19-8 overall and 12-5 in the RMBL.  The Bee Jays host the A’s for a league game Monday night at 7pm on 1270 and 92.3.  Dugout Show at 6:45.  Billy’s Ayr Lanes and Bank of the Plains are the buyout sponsors.