Bee Jays Stay Hot to Win Sixth Straight

The BJ’s most riveting win during the sixth game winning streak came Tuesday night at Brent Gould Field. Liberal scored one in the ninth to tie and one in the tenth to beat Hays 3-2 and win their sixth in a row. In the process, the BJ’s move into second place in the Jayhawk League. Chandler-Gilbert’s Aaron Mees delivered the game winning hit with one out in the bottom of the tenth. His sharp ground ball inside the first base bag scored Pepperdine’s Torrey Jacoby. Mees entered the game in the tenth inning as a defensive replacement.

“The number one key for me in that situation was patience,” Mees said. “I wanted to get up their and see a few pitches because I hadn’t seen a live pitch in a while. I knew that coach put me in that situation for a reason and I wanted to take advantage. I saw a pitch to hit so I swung and thank God it stayed inside the line.”

Liberal’s pitching continued their torrid stretch. The have allowed 10 runs during the six game winning streak. With a Pittsburgh Pirate cross checker and Texas Tech head coach Dan Spencer in attendance, all eyes were on 6’6″ right-hander Bobby Doran from Seward County. The Tech signee and Pirate draftee (36th round) pitched the first four innings striking out five. San Diego’s Matt Hauser pitched the last six innings striking out 10 and not allowing a run. Hauser is 4-2 after the win.

“We knew it was a big game,” Hauser said. “I knew I needed to pitch and I wasn’t coming out of the game until we won. Coach kept asking if I was good and I said yes I’m good and I’m not coming out.” Hauser made the comments after the game with a smile on his face after the win.

USC’s Mike Greco sparked the BJ offense. He was 3-4 with a triple, double, and single. His sixth inning double drove home Liberal’s first run to make the score 2-1 in favor of Hays. Greco’s lead-off triple in the ninth paved the way for Lubbock Christian’s Tanner Rindels to drive home the tying run in the ninth.

Liberal is 15-13 and leads Derby (13-11) by percentage points for second place in the Jayhawk League. The Bee Jays are 23-16 overall. Hays falls to 19-14 overall and 12-13 in the Jayhawk. Liberal plays at Junction City Thursday and Friday night in non-league. The next radio broadcast is Saturday night when Dodge City goes to Liberal.