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Thursday
March 28th, 2024

bee jays third place team shotThe Bee Jays gather with their third place trophy and the $6,000 check at the NBC World Series after falling to Hays in the semifinals, 6-2. The Bee Jays are the winningest program in the history of the NBC World Series. L&T photo/Earl WattEARL WATT • Leader & Times

 

Paul Bonzagni did all he could to give the Liberal Bee Jays a chance to advance to the NBC World Series championship game, but Bonzagni allowed two home runs, and a third off reliever Jackson Berry in the ninth sealed Liberal’s fate in a 6-2 loss in the semifinals of the NBC World Series in Wichita Friday.

Bonzagni’s eight innings of work was a rarity for the Bee Jays. Starters have been replaced early and often. But Bonzagni kept the Hays Larks in check for most of the game.

The Bee Jays scored a solo home run in the second inning of the bat of Tyce Armstrong, and the Hays Larks didn’t cross the plate until the fourth inning when they took advantage of a hit by pitch a double and a single to score two runs to take a 2-1 lead.

But the Bee Jays responded in the bottom of the fourth when Daylan Peña grounded out but scored Keaton Grady from third base, and the game was tied 2-2.

Neither team scored until the eighth inning when Hays hit a one-out home run over the left field fence that scored two runs and gave the Larks a 4-1 lead.

The Bee Jays put the first two batter on base in the bottom of the eighth, but neither scored.

The Larks hit another two-run home run to left field in the top of the ninth, and the Bee Jays went down in order in the ninth inning in the 6-2 loss.

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Still, the Bee Jays became the winningest program in NBC World Series history by earning the team’s 200th all-time win in 56 NBC World Series appearances.

Hays went on to lose the national championship to the Santa Barbara Foresters 12-1 which left Hays still seeking its first ever national title.

Liberal, a five-time national champion and seven-time runner-up, claimed third place.

“It’s a good group of guys,” Liberal coach Jared Mayeda said. “We were coming off a good regular season, a really good playoff run. There’s nothing to hang your head if you are a Bee Jay fan.”

Until the final two innings of the semi final game, Liberal was playing the type of baseball that led to a championship season in the Rocky Mountain League finishing ahead of second-place Hays.

“Everything was clicking,” Mayeda said. “The offense was firing on all cylinders. Our pitching was really good. These guys will go back to their schools as All Americans. We have future draft guys. It’s a special group for sure.”

And for Mayeda, who was slated to be an assistant for the Bee Jays but moved up to become the head coach, he enjoyed the opportunity.

“It was a good experience, good memories,” he said. “I will be able to use this for the rest of my career. I hope to be back in the coming years. This was awesome to be a part of it. I look forward to the opportunity if it presents itself, I would love to come back.”

And he was complimentary of the NBC World Series.

“Some of the better teams in the country are here,” Mayeda said. “You can talk about the Cape, the North Woods, but I think some of the better teams are right here in Wichita for this tournament. It’s really good competition and good baseball all around.”

 

EARL WATT • Leader & Times

 

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