EARL WATT
• Leader & Times
Despite a five-run first inning against the Dodge City A’s on the road Tuesday, the Bee Jays had to sweat it our late to earn a 7-5 win and move to 5-3 in the Rocky Mountain League.
Liberal used a three-run home run by Carson Willis to spark a five-run first inning, and the A’s were in an early hole. But the A’s settled down and put together five straight scoreless innings.
The Bee Jays kept the A’s off the scoreboard for the first three innings until the A’s broke through with a run in the fourth.
Liberal added a solo home run in the seventh by Jack Ryan, and Drew Grego crossed the plate after a wild pitch to give the Bee Jays a 7-1 lead. But the Bee Jays struggled late with throwing strikes, and that allowed Dodge City to get runners on base. Liberal walked five A’s and allowed a hit, and the A’s added four runs to cut the lead to 7-4.
The A’s left the bases loaded, and after scoring two more in the eighth, the A’s cut the lead to 7-5 and had the tying run at the plate. But the Bee Jays struck out two in a row and tossed a scoreless ninth to secure the win.
