BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
WICHITA — By the time the Great Bend Bat Cats delivered a base hit with a runner on base, their magical 2026 season was barely alive.
Great Bend was a shocking 0-for-18 with runners on base with Shawnee's Between The Lines leading 6-3 in Tuesday's NBC World Series elimination game.
"It was bad baseball to end the season," said Bat Cats coach Roger Ward. "Slumps are real in sports, and we slumped at the wrong time. I had to watch it. We lined into double plays. We got back picked."
Cesar Chavira's bunt single ended the Bat Cats' 0-for-18 drought and ignited a game-tying eighth-inning rally for a 6-6 tie.
George McCarroll doubled home Jack Jewell and T.J. Shaw singled home Chavira. McCarroll scored on Walker Wakeland's groundout for a 6-6 tie. Peanut Brazzle struck out to end the inning.
Clay Anderson spoiled the comeback when he singled home Brody Haskell for the game-winning ninth-inning run after a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt.
The Bat Cats (24-13) ended with a 5-game losing streak, and a 0-3 NBC record.
The Bat Cats lacked patience with 15 at-bats determined in one or two pitches. Great Bend batted zero-for-5 with the bases loaded and left 12 runners stranded against BTL.
"We work with what we've got. It was bad hitting," Ward said. "We talked about working the count. It was bad baseball swinging at first pitches."
The Hornets handed Great Bend a huge opportunity with three consecutive first-inning errors. Fortunately, McCarroll and Shaw scored runs when the Hornets committed errors.
The first-inning rally fizzled when Chase Chapman struck out and Jack Jewell flew out with the bases loaded.
"We underachieved that inning," Ward said.
Great Bend's seventh-inning threat ended when Chapman struck out with the bases loaded.
The Hornets pounded starter Ben Smith for five earned runs. Quinn Groebl hit a sacrifice fly and Brad Blankenship delivered a 2-run single for a 3-2 lead.
Chavira scored on Kirby Orth's second-inning groundout for a 3-3 tie.
Josh Holmes' 2-run homer scored Barton Cougar Kyle Graves for a 5-3 lead. Graves singled home Clay Anderson for a 6-3 lead.
Great Bend 210 000 030 — 6 6 0
BTL Hornets 302 100 001 — 7 10 4
Smith, French (3), Graham (5), Curran (8), Benz (9) and Chavira. Janes, Peterson (6), Fleet (8), Blankenship (9) and Chartrand. W—Blankenship. L—Curran. 2B—GB—McCarroll, Wakeland; BTL—Holmes. HR—BTL—Holmes.
NBC WORLD SERIES
7-2—CHAMPIONSHIP—Santa Barbara (Calif.) Foresters vs Alaska Goldpanners
7-1—SEMIFINALS—Santa Barbara 7, Junction City Brigade 0; Alaska 9, Lonestar (Texas) Baseball 1
6-30—QUARTERFINALS—Santa Barbara 6, Austin Gold Sox 0; Junction City 10, Seattle Blackfins 9; Alaska 7, Hutchinson Monarchs 4; Lonestar Baseball, 5, Seattle Cheney Studs 4
6-29—FIRST ROUND—Noon—Austin Gold Sox 3, Tess's Army 2; Seattle Blackfins 3, BTL Hornets 1; Hutchinson Monarchs 2, Liberal Bee Jays 1; Seattle Cheney Studs 8, Hays Larks 3
6-28—Tess's Army 4, San Diego Stars 0; BTL Hornets 7, Great Bend 6; Alaska 8, Hays Larks 3; Santa Barbara 7, Liberal 2
6-27—Junction City 9, Austin Gold Sox 1; TPA Texas 11, Lonestar Baseball 6; Seattle Cheney Studs 9, Oklahoma Lookouts 5; Hutchinson 15, Seattle Blackfins 5
