EARL WATT

   • Leader & Times

WICHITA — After a disappointing opening 7-5 loss against the BTL Hornets, the Liberal Bee Jays rebounded with a 7-0 win in their second game of the 2026 National Baseball Congress World Series. They play a critical third and final game in pool play at 8 p.m. tonight against the 2-0 Santa Barbara Foresters.

Andrew Banda started for the Bee Jays against the Hornets and struggled early, allowing two runs in the first inning and  four runs in five innings.

Liberal trailed 4-1 after five innings and battled back to 4-2 after seven, but the Hornets put up three runs in the eighth against relievers Stephen Brown and Thomas Fowler, and even though the Bee Jays scored three runs in the top of the ninth, they came up short 7-5.

But in the second game of the tournament, Brooks Kappelmann put together a five-inning shutout including pitching out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam, and a grand slam by Cole Manuel in the fifth inning provided a boost for the Bee Jays in a 7-0 win.

Kappelmann faced a jam in the second inning after walking two and giving up a single to load the bases with no outs, but after  a strike out, Kappelmann forced a grounder to short that led to a  double play, and the Bee Jays were able to escape without giving up a run.

The Bat Cats found themselves in a jam in the fifth inning after starting with two straight outs. That was followed with three straight walks to load the bases, and Cole Manuel followed with a grand slam to left center to give the Bee Jays a 4-0 lead.

Kappelmann returned to the mound to record three straight outs, and the bullpen took over form there and continued to shut out the Bat Cats.

Liberal loaded the bases in the seventh and added two more runs on back-to-back sacrifice flies, and the Bee Jays cruised to a 7-0 win.

The Bee Jays (1-1) will now face the Saints Barbara Foresters (2-0) at 8:30 tonight. The top three from each pool advance to bracket play.