It was a night of mixed results for the Liberal Bee Jays. First and foremost, they won a Rocky Mountain League game 15-12 over the visiting Colorado Roughriders Saturday night at Brent Gould Field. Fort Collins topped Hays meaning the B.J.’s had a two game lead in the league. The Bee Jays also learned they will again be part of the NBC World Series in Wichita. Now the sobering news. The pitching struggled Saturday night allowing 12 runs, 12 hits, 7 walks, and 5 HBP’s.
The Roughriders came out swinging scoring two runs on three hits in the first and second innings for a 4-0 lead. Matt Mendez hit a lead off home run to left to begin the third to make it 4-1. Tommy Molina walked before Taiga Sakuma and Ben Merriman singled. Miller Durham singled home two runs to make it 4-3. Lane Snow singled home two runs to make the score 5-4. The Roughriders hit a lead off home run in the fourth to tie the game 5-5. With one out in the fourth, Tommy Molina doubled. Ben Merriman walked. Miller Durham singled home two more runs for a 7-5 lead. In the fifth, Lane Snow singled to lead off the inning before Bobby Orr launched a two run home run into the trees for the 9-5 lead. It’s his ninth home run of the season. The Roughriders climbed right back in the game scoring four runs on three hits, two HBP’s, and two walks. That tied the game 9-9. Ben Merriman walked to lead off the sixth. Miller Durham singled. Ben Merriman stole third and scored on a wild throw at third for the 10-9 lead. The Riders scored three in the eighth for the 12-10 lead. They had one hit but B.J. pitching walked four and hit one. But the Bee Jays responded in the bottom of the eighth. Taiga Sakuma reached on an error. Ben Merriman lofted a wind blown double to center to score Taiga. Miller Durham singled home a run to make it 12-12. Julius Ramirez singled. Lane Snow singled and Ramirez scored on a throwing error. Robert Orr hit a sac fly for the 14-12 lead. Lane Snow scored on a wild pitch for the 15-12 lead.
Liberal out-hit the team from Denver 17-12. The Roughriders committed three errors and Liberal had one. Miller Durham was Epic Touch Player of the Game going 5-5 with five RBI’s. Lane Snow was 3-5 with two RBI’s. Matt Mendez and Ben Merriman added two hits a piece. Logan Wade finally steadied the waters in the ninth pitching a 1-2-3 inning for his second save. Liberal used six pitchers. The Roughriders used four pitchers.
The Roughriders are 9-13 in the Rocky Mountain. Liberal is 21-4 overall and 19-4 in the Rocky Mountain. The same two teams play Sunday night at 7pm at Brent Gould Field with the Dugout Show at 6:45 on 1270 and 92.3. National Beef is the buyout sponsor and will provide free hamburgers to fans at the game.
