Bee Jays Play Through Injury Bug

The fourth week of June was a wild one for the Liberal Bee Jays. They began the week in the doldrums of a three game Jayhawk League losing skid which included a 13-2 loss at home to last place El Dorado. They picked up their game winning that series but learned before Thursday’s game that starting second baseman Eddie Arroyo had a broken jaw and would be out for the summer. He was Liberal’s leading hitter with a .426 average. He led the team with 13 stolen bases and was second at the time with 15 RBI’s. He is also well liked in the dugout and a spark plug at the top of the order and has unlimited range at second base.

The Bee Jays then learned Friday that third baseman Richard Bohlken fractured his ankle. He was hitting .333 and led the team with three homeruns.

Two weeks ago against Derby, the BJ’s had their same starting infield they used to win the NBC World Series with Bohlken at third, Giants signee Kelby Tomlinson at shortstop, Arroyo at second, and Blake Bergeron at first. Only Bergeron remains on the team from that group.

But the Bee Jays went to Larks Park in Hays and shocked a good Hays team who was 10-1 at home with a 9-3 win Saturday and a 13-5 win Sunday to take over first in the Jayhawk League. Liberal won their fifth straight Monday night when they defeated the Greeley Grays 9-1.

The Bee Jays picked up former BJ and Saint Quay Grant who played at the University of New Mexico this spring. The Burkburnett, Texas native played third at Hays and collected four hits. Grant hit .316 with 28 RBI’s for the Lobos. Grant will also provide some right handed punch to the BJ bullpen. The BJ’s also added first baseman Jase Morgan who played for BJ manager Mike Silva in 2009 and 2010 at Clarendon. That move gives the BJ’s the flexibility to occasionally move Bergeron to third as they did Monday night during their 9-1 win over Greeley.

Liberal hosts the Greeley Grays Tuesday night at 7 p.m.