Release by Alex Hammeke
The Great Bend Bat Cats might have suffered their first two losses this past week against the Newton Rebels, but they secured a 3-2 series victory, winning two games at Klein-Scott Field. Newton would start off the series with an 8-6 loss at Klein Scott Field in Newton, before taking three straight wins. Great Bend would win 7-3 on Tuesday, and 9-7 on Wednesday. The ‘Cats would secure their second straight series victory with a 12-1 run-rule victory on Friday, but Newton would get the last laugh, giving the Bat Cats their first loss at Al Burns Memorial Field on Saturday, 11-5.
Despite the pair of losses, Great Bend remains at the top of the Sunflower Collegiate League, tied with the Cheney Diamond Dawgs. The Bat Cats were scheduled to play the El Dorado Broncos this week, but the Broncos cancelled their season last week. On short notice, Great Bend could only find one opponent in a rare off week. The Bat Cats will take on the Liberal BJ’s at Brett Gould Field in Liberal on Thursday. After the bye week, the Bat Cats will take on the Hutchinson Monarchs.
More games could be added if possible, so follow the Bat Cats Facebook (Great Bend Bat Cats) and Twitter (GB_BatCats) pages for up to date information about the Bat Cats schedule.
Monday: Great Bend 6, Newton 8
Great Bend would jump on top early, with a Zane Spinn 2-run single that scored Alex Rodgers and Dylan Blomquist. The Bat Cats would double up on the lead when Brett Freiberg forced an error which would score Micah Grover. Newton would load the bases, and a Blomquist walk would score Jett Forrest. Newton starter Carson Jacobs would end the second inning with back to back strikeouts and a fly out.
Newton would respond in the bottom of the second. The Rebels would score two runs in the second, and would respond accordingly in the third and fourth innings to take a 6-4 lead after four innings. The offensive advantage for Newton would translate over to the defensive end as well, with Jacobs only allowing two hits in his final three innings of work.
Forrest would score Spinn with a 1-out single, but Newton would score another run on a wild pitch. Both teams would trade runs in the seventh. Brett Freiberg would score Kyle Gates on a fielders choice, but Newton would score another run on a wild pitch to ensure the Rebels first win of the season, and give the Bat Cats their first loss.
Tuesday: Great Bend 7, Newton 3
Newton would score one run on a 2-out single, which scored the only run Zach Thornton would allow in his five innings of work. Andrew Enwiya would turn the tide for the Bat Cats to give Great Bend the lead. After Blomquist and Nico Baumbach slammed 1-out singles, Enwiya cleared the bags, sending a 1-2 pitch out to the railroad tracks for his first home run of the season.
Baumbach would pick up an RBI of his own in the second inning, bringing in Alex Rodgers’ leadoff walk. Enwiya, who would end with 4 RBI’s on the day, sent Blomquist home on a sac fly to deep center.
Newton would cut their deficit down to two runs in the seventh inning, but the Bat Cats would put a two-spot on the board in the eighth, when a first base error on Junior Torres’ hit flew into the Rebels bullpen, scoring Spinn. Torres would score on the next batter, when Noah Best singled.
Wednesday: Great Bend 9, Newton 7
Much of the offensive explosion in this game came in the final three innings, where ten of the sixteen runs were scored. Down 4-2 after six innings, the Bat Cats would score seven runs, six of which were in the final two frames. Rodgers, Forrest, and Kyle Gates all pushed two runs across for the Bat Cats in the contest, while Forrest and Enwiya had two RBI’s apiece. Tyler Henry would add his second home run of the season in the fifth inning.
Starter Dylan Blomquist struck out 11 of his 25 batters faced in five innings. Blomquist allowed six hits and three runs in his time on the hill, while Barton Cougar Matt Nedved picked up the victory for the Bat Cats
Friday: Great Bend 12, Newton 1 (7 innings)
Dodging severe weather throughout the night, Alex Rodgers made sure to start things off quick, slamming a triple all the way to the wall at Klein-Scott Field. Rodgers would jumpstart a five run start for the Bat Cats. The Cats, led by the 2-4 plate appearance from Rodgers and 2 doubles from Spinn, would lead the Bat Cats to 7 hits, while picking up eight free bases. After a short lightning delay, Great Bend would add the final four runs needed to secure the series clinching victory in a seven inning run rule.
Jake Kuntzendorf worked his efficiency on the hill, working through six innings and striking out five. The freshman from Barton Community College only allowed one run on four hits.
Saturday: Great Bend 4, Newton 11
Great Bend would leave 12 men on base in the series finale against Newton. Newton would score their leadoff single in the first with a 2-out single, but the Bat Cats could not respond in the first inning. Great Bend would add four runs in the second, however, to take an early 4-1 lead. Torres’ sac fly would score Spinn; and Henry’s sac fly would score Baumbach. Blomquist would add the final two runs of the inning, scoring Micah Grover and Noah Best.
Newton would start a rally in the middle innings. Connor Allen would return to the Golden Belt to play spoiler. The Catcher from Barton Community College brought Newton within one run when he placed a two-run moonshot to left center field. The Rebels would add three runs in the fifth, before adding five in a marathon sixth inning. Rebel relievers Rylan Wallingford, Nick Grade, and Zach Gillig would hold the Bat Cats to three hits after the second inning.
The Bat Cats would score one run in the eighth, when Gates would score on a two-out Spinn single; but Great Bend would go down in order to give the Bat Cats their first loss at Al Burns Memorial Field.