Grant’s Granny Lifts Bee Jays Past Boulder

One swing of the bat.  The Liberal Bee Jays had fought back from a 3-2 to lead 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth Friday afternoon at Hobart-Detter Field and the NBC World Series.  Then Wyatt Grant happened.  The BJ slugger cranked a grand slam off the scoreboard in left center for a 9-3 lead against the Boulder Collegians.  The Bee Jays would go on to win 11-3 in eight innings in a run rule.  The Bee Jays play the loser of  Saturday night’s Hutchinson-Hays game on Sunday evening at 6:30.

Boulder, who has won four NBC championships but hasn’t been in the tournament since 1980,  scored in the first.  Liberal tied the game in the bottom of the second.  Scott Anderson singled and advanced two bases on a pitch in the dirt and a high pitch.  Aidan Shepardson slapped a single to right.  Scott Anderson ripped a double down the left field line to lead off the fourth.  Tyler Boggs lined a sac fly to right center and the right fielder made a diving catch scoring home Anderson for a 2-1 lead in the fourth.  Boulder scored in the fifth as a Collegian base runner stole home.  Boulder’s Alec Ackerman hit a home run over the scoreboard in left center for a 3-2 lead mid sixth.  Cayde Ward and Scott Anderson led off the sixth with singles.  Aidan Shepardson walked.  Tyler Boggs walked to drive home the tying run.  Caden Hensley walked to drive home the lead run for a 4-3 lead.  Quintt Landis lofted a sac fly to right for the 5-3 lead.  AJ Folds was hit by a pitch.  Then Grant hit the grand slam off the scoreboard in left center.  Landis hit a line drive home run in the eighth for his second home run in the NBC and sixth of the season.  Cayde Ward’s base hit ended the game as he drove home a run for the 11-3 lead and run rule win.

Cayde Ward and Scott Anderson had three hits a piece.  Braxton Hyde went six innings allowing three runs on five hits.  Cole Hillier worked two scoreless innings.

Liberal is 29-7  and Boulder finishes 29-14. Liberal plays Sunday evening at 6:30 on 1270 and kscbnews.net.