By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
With a record of 26-9, and nine regular season games remaining plus the playoffs, the Great Bend Bat Cats were on pace to potentially break their franchise record of 33 wins that was set last year. That feat will be harder to accomplish after the organization decided Monday to not play the remainder of their league season.
While playing in Derby Sunday, many of the players’ vehicles, parked at Al Burns Memorial Field in Great Bend, were severely damaged or totaled from the severe storm that passed through Barton County. Bat Cats General Manager Roger Ward said the team decided the players should go home to get matters resolved.
"This is a good club, a good group of guys and the coaching staff is doing great," said Ward. "You'd like to see that continue, but when real life things happen there is no way we can make these guys stick around and play baseball. They need support from their family."
While the decision was made to not play the final seven Jayhawk Collegiate League games, Ward said the plan is to have the majority of the team return for two home games next Wednesday, July 26 and Thursday, July 27 before the Bat Cats hit the playoffs.
"We've never had trouble of picking up guys to fill out the roster when it came down to postseason," said Ward. "We're going to finish strong. We're going to be a good team. We're still hopeful of getting a couple of home games for the community before postseason."
By winning the first half the Jayhawk League, Great Bend already qualified for the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series in Wichita which starts Aug. 3.
Ward said the infield at Al Burns Field received a beating from Sunday’s hail storm and a portion of the outfield fence is leaning.