EARL WATT

   • Leader & Times

After giving up three runs to the Boulder Collegians in the top of the first inning, the Liberal Bee Jays rallied with a six-run third inning to run away with a 9-4 win.

After the Collegians started off with a big first inning, the Bee Jays cut the lead to 3-1 when Trenton Uyeda singled on a line drive to right that scored Kaden Isola.

Starter Brooks Kappelmann settled in and pitched shutout innings in the second and third, and in the bottom of the third the Bee Jays loaded the bases and tied the game after Isola was hit by a pitch and Noah Giovannelli scored on a passed ball.

An error at third allowed the Bee Jays to take a 4-3 lead, and Seth Green followed with an RBI single.

Ben Finnegan then drove in tow runs with a single to right, and the Bee Jays led 7-3.

The Collegians got a run back in the fourth with a sacrifice fly that scored a run, but a Giovannelli RBI double in the sixth pushed the lead to 8-4.

Liberal added an insurance run in the eighth when Adam Swanson scored on an RBI double by Isola.

Anthony Edwards earned the win in relief with four scoreless innings.

Liberal moved to 3-1 with the win.