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Bat Cats surprise defending NBC champions
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The Bat Cats celebrate a victory over the Hutchinson Monarchs, last year's NBC World Series champion. - photo by Lori Farmer

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

The Great Bend Bat Cats downed the reigning NBC World Series champion Hutchinson Monarchs 8-4 Monday, thanks to 11 walks and a trio of hit batters.

Great Bend (5-1) scored three runs on bases-loaded walks, two on an error and one on a double-play groundball. Carson Umphres delivered the Bat Cats' lone runs batted in with a hit.

Sam Wiese scored the Monarchs' first run on a second-inning wild pitch. Jesse Ponce scored on a third-inning walk, Jhett Creel scored on a double play and Umphres singled in Cooper Smith for a 3-1 lead. Hutchinson's Wiese homered for a 3-2 score.

Bat Cat Joey Marker scored on an error to ignite a 4-run fourth inning. Kade Goeke scored on Ponce's groundout. Creel and Smith raced home when a Cadyn Castellenos' throw pulled Wiese off first base for a 7-2 lead.

Hutchinson's Castellenos scored on a wild pitch and Camden Johnson scored on Jaden Gustafson's sacrifice fly for a 7-4 score after 41/2 innings. Great Bend's Creel scored on a sixth-inning bases-loaded walk for an 8-4 score.

Great Bend relievers Clark Scallon and Tyler Stuhlsatz combined for four shutout innings. Scallon escaped a bases-loaded seventh-inning jam when third baseman Goeke and second baseman Marker combined for a 5-4-3 double play on a Cooper Harris groundball.

Hutchinson 010 120 000 – 4 6 2

GB Bat Cats 003 401 00x – 8 5 1

Bledsoe, Ross (4), Camden Cornelius (7), Carson Cornelius (8) and Harris. Sowell, Scallon (6), Stuhlsatz (8) and Creel. W—Sowell, 2-0. L—Bledsoe. 2B—GB—Creel, Ammann; H–Flaggert 2. HR–H–Wiese.

JAYHAWK COLLEGIATE

Haysville Aviators 7-2

GB Bat Cats 5-2

Kingman Islanders 4-2

Kansas Cannons 5-3

Hutchinson Monarchs 4-3

Derby Twins 4-4

Diamond Kings 2-4

Newton Rebels 1-5

Wichita Dirtbags 0-6

MONDAY–Bat Cats 8, Monarchs 4; Diamond Kings 3-8, Newton 1-2; Cannons 3, Derby 0

TUESDAY–Kingman 14-2, Haysville 10-12

WEDNESDAY–Derby at Dirtbags; Kingman at Diamond Kings; Haysville 8, Bat Cats 7; Hays at Cannons; Newton at Monarchs

THURSDAY–Bat Cats at Aviators; Derby at Dirtbags;  Black Sox at Cannons; Diamond Kings at Islanders