Slow Start Sinks Bee Jays in NBC Opener

The Derby Twins built leads of 5-0 and 8-2 on the way to beating the Liberal Bee Jays 9-6 in 90th NBC World Series Series Saturday afternoon at Eck Stadium in Wichita.  The Bee Jays drop their opener in the NBC for the third time in four years.

Derby greeted starter Luke Steward with a grand slam in the first.  The Twins added a second inning run to lead 5-0.  Liberal scored two in the fifth.  Matt Cormier singled and Joel Roberts ripped  double down the left field line.  Kyzer Harrington singled home a run.  Lane Snow grounded out to score a run to make it 5-2.  The Twins answered with three in the sixth to lead 8-2.  Miller Durham singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth.  Ryota Kusumoto doubled down first.  Julius Ramirez lined a sac fly to center to make it 8-3.  Liberal scored three in the seventh.  Joe Roberts led off the inning with a single.  Lane Snow lifted a sac fly to center.  Ben Merriman went bye bye with a two run home run to left center for his seventh round tripper of the year.  Derby scored on in the eighth to lead 9-6.

Derby out-hit Liberal 15-9.  Liberal had the game’s lone error.  Joel Roberts was Epic Touch Player of the Game going 3-4 with a double.  Miller Durham added two hits.  Jhett Huffman and Brooks Kappelmann pitched scoreless innings in relief.

Derby is 25-11 overall and Liberal is 24-8 having lost four of their last six.  The Bee Jays play the San Diego Stars Sunday at 3pm with the Bee Jay Dugout Show at 2:45 on 1270 and 92.3.