NORTH PLATTE, Neb. – The
shorthanded Hays Larks had to turn to a couple of position players on the mound
Sunday as they closed out their season-opening, four-game road trip with a wild
15-12 win over the North Platte Plainsmen at Bill Wood Field. 

The Larks (3-1) trailed
10-5 after three innings but took the lead for good with four runs in the fourth
and four more in the fifth. The Plainsmen (0-5) scored a run in the bottom of
the ninth and had the tying run at the plate when outfielder Damian Ruiz got back-to-back
strikeouts to end the game.

Ruiz allowed an unearned
run in the ninth and struck out the side for the save.

Second baseman Bryson
Evans pitched four scoreless innings of relief with five strikeouts and no
walks and picked up the win.

Jose Velazquez, who
pitched for the Larks in 2021, made his season debut and allowed 10 runs (three earned) on seven hits over 2
2/3 innings. Caden Hare allowed one run on one hit over 1 1/3 innings of relief.

Tyler LaRue had three of
the Larks 12 hits including a home run in the first and drove in four runs. Garrett Gruell and Trent Baker both added two RBIs each.

Trent Baker scored five runs. It's the most in a game since Grant Lung scored five times vs. Colorado Sox on June 26, 2021.

The Plainsmen committed
10 errors which resulted in 10 unearned Larks runs.

The Larks return to action
Wednesday when they host the Dodge City A’s in their home opener. The A’s are
off to a 1-2 start after an 8-6 loss to the Denver Cougars Sunday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574180952050.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostNORTH PLATTE, Neb. – The
shorthanded Hays Larks had to turn to a couple of position players on the mound
Sunday as they closed out their season-opening, four-game road trip with a wild
15-12 win over the North Platte Plainsmen at Bill Wood Field. The Larks (3-1) trailed
10-5 after three innings but took the lead for good with four runs in the fourth
and four more in the fifth. The Plainsmen (0-5) scored a run in the bottom of
the ninth and had the tying run at the plate when outfielder Damian Ruiz got back-to-back
strikeouts to end the game.Ruiz allowed an unearned
run in the ninth and struck out the side for the save.Second baseman Bryson
Evans pitched four scoreless innings of relief with five strikeouts and no
walks and picked up the win.Jose Velazquez, who
pitched for the Larks in 2021, made his season debut and allowed 10 runs (three earned) on seven hits over 2
2/3 innings. Caden Hare allowed one run on one hit over 1 1/3 innings of relief.Tyler LaRue had three of
the Larks 12 hits including a home run in the first and drove in four runs. Garrett Gruell and Trent Baker both added two RBIs each.Trent Baker scored five runs. It's the most in a game since Grant Lung scored five times vs. Colorado Sox on June 26, 2021.The Plainsmen committed
10 errors which resulted in 10 unearned Larks runs.UP NEXTThe Larks return to action
Wednesday when they host the Dodge City A’s in their home opener. The A’s are
off to a 1-2 start after an 8-6 loss to the Denver Cougars Sunday night.

⚾ Larks closeout road trip with slugfest win in Nebraska

The Hays Larks close out a four-game road trip in Nebraska Sunday with a matchup against the North
Platte Plainsmen.

Hays Larks baseball on HaysPost.com is courtesy of the Hays Larks.

The Larks returns to Hays for their home-opener Wednesday against Dodge City.

The Hays Larks close out a four-game road trip in Nebraska Sunday with a matchup against the North
Platte Plainsmen.First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9O5owBB5cu8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>Hays Larks baseball on HaysPost.com is courtesy of the Hays Larks.The Larks returns to Hays for their home-opener Wednesday against Dodge City.

⚾🎥 WATCH LIVE Hays Larks at North Platte

By MARC BOWMAN Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brady Singer scattered five singles over 5 2/3 innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Colorado Rockies 2-0 on Sunday.

Singer (4-4) allowed just one runner past first base while striking out seven, his most since getting eight on April 14 against Atlanta. He allowed no walks for the first time in seven starts.

“The sinker was a lot better than it has been lately,” Singer said. “It had some good run on it. I was able to attack with it, and the slider was really good.”

“He did a good job of elevating when he had to, but also pitching to the corners,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “The slider looked like it had better depth at times when he needed to get under the left-handed bat or expand with the righties.”

Rockies starter Kyle Freeland (4-7) retired the first 13 batters he faced. With one out in the fifth, MJ Melendez’s ground-ball double took a bad hop past Rockies second baseman Harold Castro to end Freeland’s perfect game bid. Melendez scored one out later on Michael Massey’s single to right.

“They were firing immediately, swinging the bats,” Freeland said. “When I see that from a team it just gets down to execution. When you’re executing your pitches they’ll get themselves out.”

Maikel Garcia led off the eighth with his first major league homer, ending Freeland’s day.

“We’ve seen him hit several balls off the wall here,” Quatraro said. “It was just a matter of time.”

Freeland gave up two runs and four hits with no walks and one strikeout in seven-plus innings.

“It was nice to get into the eighth inning like that,” Freeland said. “The slider was really good today. The curveball was not there at all. Every single time I tried to throw it, it was hit hard somewhere.”

“He had tremendous movement,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Kyle’s ball was really moving, the fastball, the change, the breaking pitches.”

The Royals’ bullpen, with a major-league high 19 blown-lead losses, shut down the Rockies over the final 3 1/3 innings. Scott Barlow struck out three while working around a pair of singles to earn his seventh save.

Before the start of the sixth inning, the game was delayed for 16 minutes due to rain.

Mike Moustakas and Nolan Jones each had two of Colorado’s eight hits. Jones extended his hitting streak to a career-best seven games.

“I was seeing the ball well,” Jones said. “I feel like I was doing what I wanted to do.”

Kansas City got its third shutout of the season, and second in five games. Colorado was blanked for the second time in five games.

“It was a tough loss,” Black said. “We swung the bats pretty well the last couple of nights. Today we just couldn’t get to their assortment of breaking pitches. (Singer) threw a lot of quality breaking balls. There was just something about the slider we couldn’t solve.”

The win prevented the Rockies from getting a sweep, but the Royals still lost their fifth straight series and they are 1-9 in home series this year.

Rockies: RHP Dinelson Lamet (1-2, 13.17 ERA) will take the mound against San Francisco on Tuesday.

Royals: have not announced a starter for their series opener on Monday at Miami against Marlins LHP Braxton Garrett (1-2, 4.22).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685916087111.png" alt="Kansas City Royals pitcher Brady Singer throws to a Colorado Rockies batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals pitcher Brady Singer throws to a Colorado Rockies batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARC BOWMAN Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brady Singer scattered five singles over 5 2/3 innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Colorado Rockies 2-0 on Sunday.Singer (4-4) allowed just one runner past first base while striking out seven, his most since getting eight on April 14 against Atlanta. He allowed no walks for the first time in seven starts.“The sinker was a lot better than it has been lately,” Singer said. “It had some good run on it. I was able to attack with it, and the slider was really good.”“He did a good job of elevating when he had to, but also pitching to the corners,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “The slider looked like it had better depth at times when he needed to get under the left-handed bat or expand with the righties.”Rockies starter Kyle Freeland (4-7) retired the first 13 batters he faced. With one out in the fifth, MJ Melendez’s ground-ball double took a bad hop past Rockies second baseman Harold Castro to end Freeland’s perfect game bid. Melendez scored one out later on Michael Massey’s single to right.“They were firing immediately, swinging the bats,” Freeland said. “When I see that from a team it just gets down to execution. When you’re executing your pitches they’ll get themselves out.”Maikel Garcia led off the eighth with his first major league homer, ending Freeland’s day.“We’ve seen him hit several balls off the wall here,” Quatraro said. “It was just a matter of time.”Freeland gave up two runs and four hits with no walks and one strikeout in seven-plus innings.“It was nice to get into the eighth inning like that,” Freeland said. “The slider was really good today. The curveball was not there at all. Every single time I tried to throw it, it was hit hard somewhere.”“He had tremendous movement,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Kyle’s ball was really moving, the fastball, the change, the breaking pitches.”The Royals’ bullpen, with a major-league high 19 blown-lead losses, shut down the Rockies over the final 3 1/3 innings. Scott Barlow struck out three while working around a pair of singles to earn his seventh save.Before the start of the sixth inning, the game was delayed for 16 minutes due to rain.Mike Moustakas and Nolan Jones each had two of Colorado’s eight hits. Jones extended his hitting streak to a career-best seven games.“I was seeing the ball well,” Jones said. “I feel like I was doing what I wanted to do.”Kansas City got its third shutout of the season, and second in five games. Colorado was blanked for the second time in five games.“It was a tough loss,” Black said. “We swung the bats pretty well the last couple of nights. Today we just couldn’t get to their assortment of breaking pitches. (Singer) threw a lot of quality breaking balls. There was just something about the slider we couldn’t solve.”The win prevented the Rockies from getting a sweep, but the Royals still lost their fifth straight series and they are 1-9 in home series this year.UP NEXTRockies: RHP Dinelson Lamet (1-2, 13.17 ERA) will take the mound against San Francisco on Tuesday.Royals: have not announced a starter for their series opener on Monday at Miami against Marlins LHP Braxton Garrett (1-2, 4.22).

⚾ Singer pitches into sixth, Royals beat Rockies to avoid sweep

&nbsp; GENEVA, Ohio -&nbsp;Tereus Henry, a junior on the Fort Hays State wrestling team, won the USA Wrestling U23 Greco-Roman Championship this weekend (June 2-4), one of four placements for a trio of Tiger wrestlers at the USA Wrestling U23 Nationals. Henry also placed third in the U23 Freestyle Nationals, while Tony Caldwell and Cody Hicks&nbsp;placed seventh and eighth, respectively, in the Greco-Roman competition.

Competing at 97 kg, the unseeded Henry defeated four seeded wrestlers en-route to his national title. He quickly reached the semifinals of the Greco-Roman competition with a technical fall and a win via fall. The 2023 All-American then advanced to the best two-of-three final series with a 7-3 decision in the semifinals. Matched up with Thomas Godbee from Army West Point, Henry won the first bout via fall before losing a 6-4 decision in the second matchup. Henry bounced back to clinch the championship with another second period fall in the deciding third bout. In the Freestyle competition, Henry won his first match via fall before suffering a 5-2 decision against top-seeded Samuel Mitchell from the University of Buffalo. Henry rebounded in the consolation bracket, winning four-consecutive matches via technical fall to finish in third place. Henry and Godbee were the only two wrestlers at 97 kg to reach the podium in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle. Henry went a combined 10-2 on the weekend, turning in records of 5-1 in both competitions. Caldwell placed seventh at 130 kg in the Greco-Roman championship after going 3-2 for the weekend. He won his opening bout via fall before suffering a fall in the quarterfinals. The Wichita, Kan. native responded with a 6-2 decision in the consolation bracket before falling on criteria following a 4-4 stalemate in the consolation semifinals. He clinched seventh place with a pin in less than one minute in the placement round. Caldwell later turned in a record of 1-2 in the 125 kg Freestyle competition. Hicks took home the eighth-place medal at 77 kg in the Greco-Roman bracket after turning in a record of 4-3. The Bennington, Okla. native opened the week with a quick technical fall before falling in the round of 16. He then picked up three wins in a row to reach the consolation semifinals, including an 8-2 decision, a technical fall and a forfeit, before dropping his final two contests to finish eighth. Hicks finished the weekend going 1-2 at 79 kg in the Freestyle competition.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686000503818.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics&nbsp; GENEVA, Ohio -&nbsp;Tereus Henry, a junior on the Fort Hays State wrestling team, won the USA Wrestling U23 Greco-Roman Championship this weekend (June 2-4), one of four placements for a trio of Tiger wrestlers at the USA Wrestling U23 Nationals. Henry also placed third in the U23 Freestyle Nationals, while Tony Caldwell and Cody Hicks&nbsp;placed seventh and eighth, respectively, in the Greco-Roman competition. <div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tZWPsE_pGvQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Competing at 97 kg, the unseeded Henry defeated four seeded wrestlers en-route to his national title. He quickly reached the semifinals of the Greco-Roman competition with a technical fall and a win via fall. The 2023 All-American then advanced to the best two-of-three final series with a 7-3 decision in the semifinals. Matched up with Thomas Godbee from Army West Point, Henry won the first bout via fall before losing a 6-4 decision in the second matchup. Henry bounced back to clinch the championship with another second period fall in the deciding third bout. In the Freestyle competition, Henry won his first match via fall before suffering a 5-2 decision against top-seeded Samuel Mitchell from the University of Buffalo. Henry rebounded in the consolation bracket, winning four-consecutive matches via technical fall to finish in third place. Henry and Godbee were the only two wrestlers at 97 kg to reach the podium in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle. Henry went a combined 10-2 on the weekend, turning in records of 5-1 in both competitions. Caldwell placed seventh at 130 kg in the Greco-Roman championship after going 3-2 for the weekend. He won his opening bout via fall before suffering a fall in the quarterfinals. The Wichita, Kan. native responded with a 6-2 decision in the consolation bracket before falling on criteria following a 4-4 stalemate in the consolation semifinals. He clinched seventh place with a pin in less than one minute in the placement round. Caldwell later turned in a record of 1-2 in the 125 kg Freestyle competition. Hicks took home the eighth-place medal at 77 kg in the Greco-Roman bracket after turning in a record of 4-3. The Bennington, Okla. native opened the week with a quick technical fall before falling in the round of 16. He then picked up three wins in a row to reach the consolation semifinals, including an 8-2 decision, a technical fall and a forfeit, before dropping his final two contests to finish eighth. Hicks finished the weekend going 1-2 at 79 kg in the Freestyle competition.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🤼 FHSU All-American wins national title

GERING, Neb. - Garrett Greuell's two-out, two-run homer in the seventh broke a 2-2 tie and led the Hays Larks to an 5-3 win over the Western Nebraska Pioneers Saturday night at Oregon Trail Park Stadium.

Austin Stracener added an RBI single which scored B Evans in the eighth. The Pioneers (4-3) scored a run in the ninth on a wild pitch before Trent Baker got a strikeout to end the game.

The Larks (2-1) grabbed the lead in the second on Peyton Ebbing's single to left which scored Luis Garcia. Western Nebraska answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on a groundout after back-to-back singles.

Trent Baker singled in the fifth scoring Ebbing to put the Larks up 2-1. The Plainsmen got a home run from Griffin Robinson to lead off the bottom of the inning to tie the game 2-2.

Kam Watson (1-0) allowed on run on three hits with six strikeouts an no walks over four innings of relief and picked up the win. Trent Baker worked around a pair of walks and allowed one run with three strikeouts for the save.

Starter Luuk ter Beek allowed one run on four hits with seven strikeouts and no walks over four innings.

Garrett Gruell went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs Saturday. He now has five hits over the Larks first three games and leads the team with five RBIs.&nbsp;

The Larks close out their four-game, season-opening road trip Sunday afternoon in North Platte, Nebraska against the North Platte Plainsmen. First pitch is scheduled for 4:35 p.m. CDT.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574180952050.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostGERING, Neb. - Garrett Greuell's two-out, two-run homer in the seventh broke a 2-2 tie and led the Hays Larks to an 5-3 win over the Western Nebraska Pioneers Saturday night at Oregon Trail Park Stadium.Austin Stracener added an RBI single which scored B Evans in the eighth. The Pioneers (4-3) scored a run in the ninth on a wild pitch before Trent Baker got a strikeout to end the game.The Larks (2-1) grabbed the lead in the second on Peyton Ebbing's single to left which scored Luis Garcia. Western Nebraska answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on a groundout after back-to-back singles.Trent Baker singled in the fifth scoring Ebbing to put the Larks up 2-1. The Plainsmen got a home run from Griffin Robinson to lead off the bottom of the inning to tie the game 2-2.Kam Watson (1-0) allowed on run on three hits with six strikeouts an no walks over four innings of relief and picked up the win. Trent Baker worked around a pair of walks and allowed one run with three strikeouts for the save.Starter Luuk ter Beek allowed one run on four hits with seven strikeouts and no walks over four innings.HOT STARTGarrett Gruell went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs Saturday. He now has five hits over the Larks first three games and leads the team with five RBIs.&nbsp;UP NEXTThe Larks close out their four-game, season-opening road trip Sunday afternoon in North Platte, Nebraska against the North Platte Plainsmen. First pitch is scheduled for 4:35 p.m. CDT.

⚾ Greull homer leads Larks to win over Pioneers

By MARK BOWMAN Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Elehuris Montero’s two-run triple highlighted Colorado’s five-run first inning and the Rockies hung on for a 6-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

Matt Carasiti (1-0) earned the win with 2 1/3 innings in relief of starter Austin Gomber, who allowed a pair of runs on six hits and three walks over 2 2/3 innings. Justin Lawrence recorded four outs for his second save.

“To win a game like that, when you go to the bullpen in the third inning, you need your relievers to all step up,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “They all did a nice job.”

Carasiti’s win was his first since Aug. 19, 2016, his only other major league victory.

“Honestly, I didn’t even really realize it,” Carasiti said. “But, it does feel good. It means a lot, helping the team win.”

The Rockies’ first three hitters reached safely in the first, with Charlie Blackmon — who was hit by a pitch to lead off the game — scoring on Ryan McMahon’s soft liner over shortstop. McMahon is hitting .487 (19 for 39) with 15 RBIs in his last 10 games.

Randal Grichuk’s one-out single added another run before Montero tripled down the right-field line, scoring two more. Montero scored on Brenton Doyle’s sacrifice fly for a 5-0 lead.

“That was a good inning for us,” Montero said. “We took advantage and executed when we needed to. It gave us confidence going into the rest of the game.”

“We caught a couple of breaks right off the bat,” Black said. “(Blackmon) got hit and (McMahon), sort of a soft liner, and we just kept going from there. We made contact. You put the ball in play, a lot of good things can happen.”

Royals starter Daniel Lynch (0-1) threw 38 pitches in the laborious first inning, then settled in to complete five innings. He allowed five runs, three earned, and six hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.

“Hits like that are going to happen,” Lynch said. “I tried to stay within my control and keep on attacking guys. I felt like I did that, but I put myself in a hole hitting the first guy.”

Colorado added a run in the sixth on Blackmon’s RBI hit as Kansas City reliever Josh Staumont walked three in the frame.

Nick Pratto’s third home run, a 438-foot solo shot to right, got the Royals on the board in the first. It was Pratto’s first career leadoff homer.

Bobby Witt Jr. had three singles for Kansas City but also committed a first-inning error that led to two unearned runs. He was also picked off third base ahead of Maikel Garcia’s RBI hit in the third inning which cut Colorado’s lead to 5-2.

“Bobby just tried to be too quick on the double-play ball,” Quatraro said. “I don’t know if we get (Jurickson) Profar on that.”

Drew Waters’ RBI single in the eighth made it 6-3. Salvador Perez’s two-out single in the ninth capped the scoring.

The Royals have lost 14 of 19 and are 8-23 at home.

Rockies RHP Nick Mears was reinstated from the 15-day IL and optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Colorado LHP Kyle Freeland (4-6, 4.22 ERA) opposes RHP Brady Singer (3-4, 7.12) in Sunday’s series finale.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685877737927.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals Nick Pratto (32) is congratulated by Bobby Witt Jr. (7) at home plate after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, June 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals Nick Pratto (32) is congratulated by Bobby Witt Jr. (7) at home plate after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, June 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK BOWMAN Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Elehuris Montero’s two-run triple highlighted Colorado’s five-run first inning and the Rockies hung on for a 6-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.Matt Carasiti (1-0) earned the win with 2 1/3 innings in relief of starter Austin Gomber, who allowed a pair of runs on six hits and three walks over 2 2/3 innings. Justin Lawrence recorded four outs for his second save.“To win a game like that, when you go to the bullpen in the third inning, you need your relievers to all step up,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “They all did a nice job.”Carasiti’s win was his first since Aug. 19, 2016, his only other major league victory.“Honestly, I didn’t even really realize it,” Carasiti said. “But, it does feel good. It means a lot, helping the team win.”The Rockies’ first three hitters reached safely in the first, with Charlie Blackmon — who was hit by a pitch to lead off the game — scoring on Ryan McMahon’s soft liner over shortstop. McMahon is hitting .487 (19 for 39) with 15 RBIs in his last 10 games.Randal Grichuk’s one-out single added another run before Montero tripled down the right-field line, scoring two more. Montero scored on Brenton Doyle’s sacrifice fly for a 5-0 lead.“That was a good inning for us,” Montero said. “We took advantage and executed when we needed to. It gave us confidence going into the rest of the game.”“We caught a couple of breaks right off the bat,” Black said. “(Blackmon) got hit and (McMahon), sort of a soft liner, and we just kept going from there. We made contact. You put the ball in play, a lot of good things can happen.”Royals starter Daniel Lynch (0-1) threw 38 pitches in the laborious first inning, then settled in to complete five innings. He allowed five runs, three earned, and six hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.“Hits like that are going to happen,” Lynch said. “I tried to stay within my control and keep on attacking guys. I felt like I did that, but I put myself in a hole hitting the first guy.”Colorado added a run in the sixth on Blackmon’s RBI hit as Kansas City reliever Josh Staumont walked three in the frame.Nick Pratto’s third home run, a 438-foot solo shot to right, got the Royals on the board in the first. It was Pratto’s first career leadoff homer.Bobby Witt Jr. had three singles for Kansas City but also committed a first-inning error that led to two unearned runs. He was also picked off third base ahead of Maikel Garcia’s RBI hit in the third inning which cut Colorado’s lead to 5-2.“Bobby just tried to be too quick on the double-play ball,” Quatraro said. “I don’t know if we get (Jurickson) Profar on that.”Drew Waters’ RBI single in the eighth made it 6-3. Salvador Perez’s two-out single in the ninth capped the scoring.The Royals have lost 14 of 19 and are 8-23 at home.TRANSACTIONSRockies RHP Nick Mears was reinstated from the 15-day IL and optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque.UP NEXTColorado LHP Kyle Freeland (4-6, 4.22 ERA) opposes RHP Brady Singer (3-4, 7.12) in Sunday’s series finale.

⚾ 5-run first boosts Rockies past Royals

The Hays Larks close out a two-game series against the&nbsp;Western NebraskaPioneers Saturday.

First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.&nbsp;moutain time.

The Larks return to North Platte Sunday to take on the Plainsmen.

The Hays Larks close out a two-game series against the&nbsp;Western NebraskaPioneers Saturday.First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.&nbsp;moutain time.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LM8RPmqfSww" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Hays Larks baseball on HaysPost.com is courtesy of the Hays Larks.The Larks return to North Platte Sunday to take on the Plainsmen.

⚾🎥 WATCH LIVE Hays Larks at Western Nebraska

The U8 Hays Havoc Girls Soccer Team finished their 2023
spring season with a perfect 8-0 in league play.

 The eight games were played
across three Saturday’s down in Wichita.

League play kicked off on March 4th with a win as the Havoc
upended FC Wichita 4-1.

 The girls started slow as they had quite a few shots on
goal but just could not convert. 

Then forward Brynlee Bauck put two on the
board, and the Havoc never looked back after that. 

Hattie Simpson and Getse
Cabrera-Ramirez also netted goals as the Havoc ceased control of the game.


Goalie Nyx Kaiser was almost flawless, stopping 9 of the 10 shots she faced. 

Game #2 went just as well for the Havoc as they defeated
McPherson FC by a score of 5-2. But the Havoc really had to work to earn this
win. 

The first half saw a score of 0-0, as it was a defensive battle early on.
However, we would break through with goals from Simpson, Bauck and
Cabrera-Ramirez to take a 3-0 lead. 

The teams traded goals in the final minutes
to finish out the game. 

Defenders Samantha Schonthaler, Kersee Wince and
Brynlee Hartshorn did a great job of playing their positions and keeping the
opponent’s shots at bay. 

After a long layoff between weekends, the Havoc were finally
back in action on April 1st. 

The first game saw the Havoc overwhelm Sporting
Wichita Silver and ultimately win by a final of 8-0. 

Everything was clicking;
offense, defense, and goalkeeping. Our forwards of Brynlee Bauck, Hattie
Simpson, Getse Cabrera-Ramirez, twin sister Aly Cabrera-Ramirez, Hattie Enslow
and Elena Gross were relentless in this game, and it would turn out to be a
theme for the weekend. Goals by Bauck, Simpson and the Cabrera-Ramirez sisters
and flawless goalkeeping by Kaiser put this game away early. 

The 2nd game pitted us against MCFC and this outcome would
be much of the same.

 Bauck, Simpson, and the Cabrera-Ramirez sisters would not
be denied in this one as they would combine for 9 goals in another terrific
performance. Schonthaler, Wince, and Hartshorn would again be absolute walls on
defense. 

They know their positions and play them well. Kaiser would also only
allow one goal in this one as the Havoc rolled to a 9-1 victory.

It was clearly going to be our weekend as Game 3 offered a
very similar outcome as the first two contests. 

We “wreaked havoc” up and down
the field against Sporting Wichita Silver again for a full 40 minutes to earn
an 8-1 victory. It was another great showing by the offense, defense, and
goalkeeping. 

This win would cap a 3-win weekend, outscoring our opponents 25-2,
moving our league record to 5-0 heading into the last weekend of play.

The girls were really looking forward to this final weekend
with the opportunity to finish the season undefeated. 

It was not going to be
easy as we were missing three players for this final weekend, but the seven we
had were more than ready for the challenge.

FC Kansas Crusade was the first opponent of the weekend. 

The
girls came out focused from the get go as Simpson and Bauck combined for 5
goals. 

The scoring did not stop there as just about everyone on the team scored
a goal as we cruised to an 11-0 victory. Samantha Schonthaler netted two goals
to go along with Hattie Enslow and Kersee Wince’s one goal apiece. Goalkeeper
Nyx Kaiser even got in on the scoring action moving to forward mid-way through
the game. 

One down, two to go for an undefeated season.

The 2nd game proved to be a physical matchup as we battled
against the Unicorns.

 While some were busy trying to take cheap shots at our
players, Bauck, Simpson and company were busy scoring the soccer ball. 

Their
“physical” play only fueled our fire more and we absolutely took it to them,
winning by a score of 8-1. 

Bauck and Simpson were able to net a combined 6
goals due to great defense and passing by our defenders and goalkeeping. 

That
has been a key to our success all season, and it turns out it would be vital in
the final game for the chance to finish 8-0.

The 3rd and final game was a matchup against one of the two
teams to play us close, FC Wichita. 

The two teams played in the first game of
league to a 4-1 game, but the game was closer than the score indicated.

 It took
a late scoring burst and some great goaltending for us to win the first
matchup, and it was only fitting they were the team to stand in our way of a
perfect season.

The first half saw some early fireworks as Bauck was able to
connect on a one-timer to put the Havoc up 1-0. FC Wichita responded quickly
with a goal of their own, but Simpson and Bauck responded with goals before
half to give us a 3-1 lead heading into the 2nd half. 

By this point, our seven
girls had played 100 minutes through two and a half games. I knew this would be
the most difficult 20 minutes of the season.

The beginning of the 2nd half did not start well as we gave
up two goals in the first seven minutes, with one being on a questionable
no-call from the official. 

With the game tied 3-3 with ten minutes left, you
really would not want it any other way. A back-and-forth battle for the next
seven minutes saw very little opportunity for either team to score. 

I did not
want to see the final game of the season end in a draw. These girls had worked
too dang hard for that. With under 3 minutes left, Simpson found some daylight
up the far side of the field set up by a great pass from Wince. 

With a defender
running stride for stride with Simpson the whole way, she was able to create
enough separation for a shot. 

The shot rolled on the ground towards the goal,
with the goalie moving towards it. She was in position to make the stop, but could
not get her hands down on the ground quick enough, as the ball went between her
legs and into the back of the net! 

No time to celebrate yet (although there
were a lot of smiles) as time was still on the clock. 

Thanks to some more
stellar defense the Havoc were able to hold off a last gasp chance to win the
game 4-3. It was a fitting game to end the season.

I can’t say enough about this group of girls and what they
accomplished this season. 

Each one of them improved their game in some aspect,
and that’s what it’s all about.

 I’m extremely proud of them and look forward to
the next season where we will move up to play 7 vs. 7. 

They played like their
team’s name suggested and wreaked havoc all season long.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685716535844.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe U8 Hays Havoc Girls Soccer Team finished their 2023
spring season with a perfect 8-0 in league play. The eight games were played
across three Saturday’s down in Wichita.<h2>First Weekend</h2>League play kicked off on March 4th with a win as the Havoc
upended FC Wichita 4-1. The girls started slow as they had quite a few shots on
goal but just could not convert. Then forward Brynlee Bauck put two on the
board, and the Havoc never looked back after that. Hattie Simpson and Getse
Cabrera-Ramirez also netted goals as the Havoc ceased control of the game.
Goalie Nyx Kaiser was almost flawless, stopping 9 of the 10 shots she faced. Game #2 went just as well for the Havoc as they defeated
McPherson FC by a score of 5-2. But the Havoc really had to work to earn this
win. The first half saw a score of 0-0, as it was a defensive battle early on.
However, we would break through with goals from Simpson, Bauck and
Cabrera-Ramirez to take a 3-0 lead. The teams traded goals in the final minutes
to finish out the game. Defenders Samantha Schonthaler, Kersee Wince and
Brynlee Hartshorn did a great job of playing their positions and keeping the
opponent’s shots at bay. <h2>Second Weekend</h2>After a long layoff between weekends, the Havoc were finally
back in action on April 1st. The first game saw the Havoc overwhelm Sporting
Wichita Silver and ultimately win by a final of 8-0. Everything was clicking;
offense, defense, and goalkeeping. Our forwards of Brynlee Bauck, Hattie
Simpson, Getse Cabrera-Ramirez, twin sister Aly Cabrera-Ramirez, Hattie Enslow
and Elena Gross were relentless in this game, and it would turn out to be a
theme for the weekend. Goals by Bauck, Simpson and the Cabrera-Ramirez sisters
and flawless goalkeeping by Kaiser put this game away early. The 2nd game pitted us against MCFC and this outcome would
be much of the same. Bauck, Simpson, and the Cabrera-Ramirez sisters would not
be denied in this one as they would combine for 9 goals in another terrific
performance. Schonthaler, Wince, and Hartshorn would again be absolute walls on
defense. They know their positions and play them well. Kaiser would also only
allow one goal in this one as the Havoc rolled to a 9-1 victory.It was clearly going to be our weekend as Game 3 offered a
very similar outcome as the first two contests. We “wreaked havoc” up and down
the field against Sporting Wichita Silver again for a full 40 minutes to earn
an 8-1 victory. It was another great showing by the offense, defense, and
goalkeeping. This win would cap a 3-win weekend, outscoring our opponents 25-2,
moving our league record to 5-0 heading into the last weekend of play.<h2>The Final Weekend</h2>The girls were really looking forward to this final weekend
with the opportunity to finish the season undefeated. It was not going to be
easy as we were missing three players for this final weekend, but the seven we
had were more than ready for the challenge.FC Kansas Crusade was the first opponent of the weekend. The
girls came out focused from the get go as Simpson and Bauck combined for 5
goals. The scoring did not stop there as just about everyone on the team scored
a goal as we cruised to an 11-0 victory. Samantha Schonthaler netted two goals
to go along with Hattie Enslow and Kersee Wince’s one goal apiece. Goalkeeper
Nyx Kaiser even got in on the scoring action moving to forward mid-way through
the game. One down, two to go for an undefeated season.The 2nd game proved to be a physical matchup as we battled
against the Unicorns. While some were busy trying to take cheap shots at our
players, Bauck, Simpson and company were busy scoring the soccer ball. Their
“physical” play only fueled our fire more and we absolutely took it to them,
winning by a score of 8-1. Bauck and Simpson were able to net a combined 6
goals due to great defense and passing by our defenders and goalkeeping. That
has been a key to our success all season, and it turns out it would be vital in
the final game for the chance to finish 8-0.The 3rd and final game was a matchup against one of the two
teams to play us close, FC Wichita. The two teams played in the first game of
league to a 4-1 game, but the game was closer than the score indicated. It took
a late scoring burst and some great goaltending for us to win the first
matchup, and it was only fitting they were the team to stand in our way of a
perfect season.The first half saw some early fireworks as Bauck was able to
connect on a one-timer to put the Havoc up 1-0. FC Wichita responded quickly
with a goal of their own, but Simpson and Bauck responded with goals before
half to give us a 3-1 lead heading into the 2nd half. By this point, our seven
girls had played 100 minutes through two and a half games. I knew this would be
the most difficult 20 minutes of the season.The beginning of the 2nd half did not start well as we gave
up two goals in the first seven minutes, with one being on a questionable
no-call from the official. With the game tied 3-3 with ten minutes left, you
really would not want it any other way. A back-and-forth battle for the next
seven minutes saw very little opportunity for either team to score. I did not
want to see the final game of the season end in a draw. These girls had worked
too dang hard for that. With under 3 minutes left, Simpson found some daylight
up the far side of the field set up by a great pass from Wince. With a defender
running stride for stride with Simpson the whole way, she was able to create
enough separation for a shot. The shot rolled on the ground towards the goal,
with the goalie moving towards it. She was in position to make the stop, but could
not get her hands down on the ground quick enough, as the ball went between her
legs and into the back of the net! No time to celebrate yet (although there
were a lot of smiles) as time was still on the clock. Thanks to some more
stellar defense the Havoc were able to hold off a last gasp chance to win the
game 4-3. It was a fitting game to end the season.I can’t say enough about this group of girls and what they
accomplished this season. Each one of them improved their game in some aspect,
and that’s what it’s all about. I’m extremely proud of them and look forward to
the next season where we will move up to play 7 vs. 7. They played like their
team’s name suggested and wreaked havoc all season long.

⚽ Hays Havoc dominate Wichita League, finish season undefeated

GERING, Neb. - The shorthanded Hays Larks, playing with only nine position players and a handful of pitchers to start the season, were run-ruled 13-1 by the Western Nebraska Pioneers Friday at Oregon Trail Park Stadium.

The Pioneers scored five runs in the bottom of the first then added eight in the second in the game which called after five innings.

The Larks got their lone run in the third when Garrett Gruell reached on an error which scored Austin Stracener from second.

North Dakota State's Carson Jacobs (0-1) made the start and suffered the loss. The former TMP-Marian product allowed 12 earned runs on six hits with eight walks and four strikeouts over two innings.

Pima Community College sophomore Dayne Pengelly pitched two scoreless innings of relief allowing only one hit with four strikeouts and no walks.

Tennessee freshman catcher Peyton Ebbing had two of the Larks four hits.

The Larks close out the two-game series in Gering Saturday at at 7:35 p.m. CDT. They then head back to North Platte to play the Plainsmen Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574180952050.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostGERING, Neb. - The shorthanded Hays Larks, playing with only nine position players and a handful of pitchers to start the season, were run-ruled 13-1 by the Western Nebraska Pioneers Friday at Oregon Trail Park Stadium.The Pioneers scored five runs in the bottom of the first then added eight in the second in the game which called after five innings.The Larks got their lone run in the third when Garrett Gruell reached on an error which scored Austin Stracener from second.North Dakota State's Carson Jacobs (0-1) made the start and suffered the loss. The former TMP-Marian product allowed 12 earned runs on six hits with eight walks and four strikeouts over two innings.Pima Community College sophomore Dayne Pengelly pitched two scoreless innings of relief allowing only one hit with four strikeouts and no walks.Tennessee freshman catcher Peyton Ebbing had two of the Larks four hits.UP NEXTThe Larks close out the two-game series in Gering Saturday at at 7:35 p.m. CDT. They then head back to North Platte to play the Plainsmen Sunday.

⚾ Shorthanded Larks run-ruled in Nebraska 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ryan McMahon homered in the first inning and hit a go-ahead single in a six-run eighth to lead the Colorado Rockies over the Kansas City Royals 7-2 on Friday night and stop a four-game losing streak.

Elias Díaz and Nolan Jones hit two-run doubles in the eighth, among six hits by the Rockies in the inning. McMahon has reached safely in 11 consecutive games, batting .425 (17 for 40) with five homers and 15 RBIs.

Kansas City has lost nine of 12, dropping to 17-40.

Brent Suter (4-0) allowed one hit over two scoreless innings.

Justin Lawrence struck out Jackie Bradley Jr. with the bases loaded for his second career save and first this year.

After McMahon’s first-inning homer, Lyles retired 13 of his next 15 batters. He allowed two hits over five innings, striking out eight.

Lyles has allowed runs in the first inning of 10 of 12 starts, giving up 15 runs in the first.

“He threw the ball great,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He worked the ball up and down in the zone. It was a really positive outing.”

Kansas City built a 2-1 lead on homers by Edward Olivares in the second and Drew Waters in the third. Both were off Chase Anderson, who gave up four hits in six innings.

“Obviously wish I could have a couple of pitches back,” Anderson said. “The lazy curveball to Olivares and then the first pitch to Waters weren’t great pitches.”

Brenton Doyle singled and Ezequiel Tovar doubled off Carlos Hernández (0-3) starting the eighth. Jurickson Profar tied the score with a run-scoring groundout and McMahon looped an opposite-field single into left for a 3-2 lead. Nick Wittgren relieved, and Díaz doubled on his first pitch for a three-run advantage.

“They don’t all have to be pretty. They just have to work,” McMahon said. “The guy throws really hard. Just tried to battle and put a ball in play. Honestly, it doesn’t matter how it happens, it just matters that it does happen.”

Royals LHP Amir Garrett was placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Tuesday, with left elbow valgus extension overload.

Royals RHP Jackson Kowar was recalled from Triple-A Omaha.

Colorado LHP Austin Gomber (4-4, 7.00 ERA) opposes LHP Daniel Lynch (0-0, 3.38) on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685792887834.jpeg" alt="Colorado Rockies' Harold Castro (30) runs home to score on a two-run double by Nolan Jones during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Friday, June 2, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Colorado Rockies' Harold Castro (30) runs home to score on a two-run double by Nolan Jones during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Friday, June 2, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARC BOWMAN Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ryan McMahon homered in the first inning and hit a go-ahead single in a six-run eighth to lead the Colorado Rockies over the Kansas City Royals 7-2 on Friday night and stop a four-game losing streak.Elias Díaz and Nolan Jones hit two-run doubles in the eighth, among six hits by the Rockies in the inning. McMahon has reached safely in 11 consecutive games, batting .425 (17 for 40) with five homers and 15 RBIs.Kansas City has lost nine of 12, dropping to 17-40.Brent Suter (4-0) allowed one hit over two scoreless innings.Justin Lawrence struck out Jackie Bradley Jr. with the bases loaded for his second career save and first this year.After McMahon’s first-inning homer, Lyles retired 13 of his next 15 batters. He allowed two hits over five innings, striking out eight.Lyles has allowed runs in the first inning of 10 of 12 starts, giving up 15 runs in the first.“He threw the ball great,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He worked the ball up and down in the zone. It was a really positive outing.”Kansas City built a 2-1 lead on homers by Edward Olivares in the second and Drew Waters in the third. Both were off Chase Anderson, who gave up four hits in six innings.“Obviously wish I could have a couple of pitches back,” Anderson said. “The lazy curveball to Olivares and then the first pitch to Waters weren’t great pitches.”Brenton Doyle singled and Ezequiel Tovar doubled off Carlos Hernández (0-3) starting the eighth. Jurickson Profar tied the score with a run-scoring groundout and McMahon looped an opposite-field single into left for a 3-2 lead. Nick Wittgren relieved, and Díaz doubled on his first pitch for a three-run advantage.“They don’t all have to be pretty. They just have to work,” McMahon said. “The guy throws really hard. Just tried to battle and put a ball in play. Honestly, it doesn’t matter how it happens, it just matters that it does happen.”TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals LHP Amir Garrett was placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Tuesday, with left elbow valgus extension overload.TRANSACTIONSRoyals RHP Jackson Kowar was recalled from Triple-A Omaha.UP NEXTColorado LHP Austin Gomber (4-4, 7.00 ERA) opposes LHP Daniel Lynch (0-0, 3.38) on Saturday.

⚾ Big eighth inning lifts Rockies past Royals

The Hays Larks travel to Gering Friday for a matchup with the Western Nebraska Pioneers.

First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. mountain time.

The Larks wrap up a two-game series with the Pioneers on Saturday.

The Hays Larks travel to Gering Friday for a matchup with the Western Nebraska Pioneers.First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. mountain time.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cTSQXJ3HsdU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>Hays Larks baseball on HaysPost.com is courtesy of the Hays Larks.The Larks wrap up a two-game series with the Pioneers on Saturday.

* The scoring from the game was changed with those changes now reflected in the story.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. – The
Hays Larks were literally off and running to the start of their 2023 season
Thursday night. They stole seven bases and beat the North Platte Plainsmen 8-3 at Bill
Wood Field.

The shorthanded Larks,
who had only nine position players available, scored all of their runs in the
sixth inning or later. 

They took a brief lead with two runs in the sixth then
after the Plainsmen (0-4) tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, the Lark struck
for two in the seventh and never trailed again. They added a run in the eighth
then put the game away with three in the ninth.

Damian Ruiz, a freshman
from Houston Christian, drove in Brady Evans with the Larks first run on a two-out single in
the sixth. Ruiz later scored on an error to give Hays a 2-1
lead. Bryson Evans, a freshman out of Murray State (Okla.) College, led off the seventh with a single and later scored on a passed ball to give the Larks the lead for good.

Garrett Gruell, who played
the last two seasons at Murray State (Okla.) College and is a Texas
A&amp;M-Corpus Christi signee, drove &nbsp;in a run in the eighth with a single then two in the ninth with a double. Gruell, who played with the Larks last summer, finished
with three hits and three RBIs.

Starting pitcher Kaleb Meredith,
who was 3-0 in over 30 innings for the Larks last summer, went six
innings last night and picked up the win. The Chattanooga (Tenn.) CC freshman, allowed
two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and no walks. 

Another returner from
last season, Caden Hare, allowed one run on two hits in two innings of relief. First
baseman and catcher Tyler LaRue, another returner from last year, pitched a
scoreless ninth.

The Larks 12 stolen
bases are the most since they swiped eight vs. the Colorado Tribe on July 18,
2022. Bryson Evans and Damian Ruiz both stole three bases. Tyler LaRue and
Garrett Gruell had two stolen bases each with Brady Evans and Austin Stracener swiping
one.

The Larks open a 2-game
series vs. the Western Nebraska Pioneers Friday in Gering, Nebraska. Both games
start at 6:35 MDT. The Pioneers are 3-2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574180952050.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>* The scoring from the game was changed with those changes now reflected in the story.Hays PostNORTH PLATTE, Neb. – The
Hays Larks were literally off and running to the start of their 2023 season
Thursday night. They stole seven bases and beat the North Platte Plainsmen 8-3 at Bill
Wood Field.The shorthanded Larks,
who had only nine position players available, scored all of their runs in the
sixth inning or later. They took a brief lead with two runs in the sixth then
after the Plainsmen (0-4) tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, the Lark struck
for two in the seventh and never trailed again. They added a run in the eighth
then put the game away with three in the ninth.Damian Ruiz, a freshman
from Houston Christian, drove in Brady Evans with the Larks first run on a two-out single in
the sixth. Ruiz later scored on an error to give Hays a 2-1
lead. Bryson Evans, a freshman out of Murray State (Okla.) College, led off the seventh with a single and later scored on a passed ball to give the Larks the lead for good.Garrett Gruell, who played
the last two seasons at Murray State (Okla.) College and is a Texas
A&amp;M-Corpus Christi signee, drove &nbsp;in a run in the eighth with a single then two in the ninth with a double. Gruell, who played with the Larks last summer, finished
with three hits and three RBIs.Starting pitcher Kaleb Meredith,
who was 3-0 in over 30 innings for the Larks last summer, went six
innings last night and picked up the win. The Chattanooga (Tenn.) CC freshman, allowed
two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Another returner from
last season, Caden Hare, allowed one run on two hits in two innings of relief. First
baseman and catcher Tyler LaRue, another returner from last year, pitched a
scoreless ninth.THE DIRTY DOZENThe Larks 12 stolen
bases are the most since they swiped eight vs. the Colorado Tribe on July 18,
2022. Bryson Evans and Damian Ruiz both stole three bases. Tyler LaRue and
Garrett Gruell had two stolen bases each with Brady Evans and Austin Stracener swiping
one.UP NEXTThe Larks open a 2-game
series vs. the Western Nebraska Pioneers Friday in Gering, Nebraska. Both games
start at 6:35 MDT. The Pioneers are 3-2.

⚾ Larks steal 7 bases, win season opener in Nebraska

The Hays Larks open the 2023 season on the road Thursday against the North Platte Plainsmen.

Hays Larks baseball on HaysPost.com is&nbsp;courtesy of the Hays Larks.

The Larks travel to Gering Nebraska on Friday.

The Hays Larks open the 2023 season on the road Thursday against the North Platte Plainsmen.First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E1jCHYVhfjU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Hays Larks baseball on HaysPost.com is&nbsp;courtesy of the Hays Larks.The Larks travel to Gering Nebraska on Friday.

HUTCHINSON - Brock Nehls has been hired to be the new head baseball coach at Hutchinson Community College.

Nehls is no stranger to the Jayhawk Conference, playing baseball for Barton Community College and serving as an assistant coach at Dodge City, Cloud County and Barton community colleges.

Nehls replaces Ryan Schmidt and becomes the 11th head coach in a Blue Dragon Baseball history that dates back to 1975.

"I am excited to welcome Brock Nehls as the next head baseball coach of Blue Dragon Baseball," Hutchinson Athletic Director Josh Gooch said. "Coach Nehls has all the qualities we were looking for in a head coach. He is a tireless recruiter, a great baseball mind and a leader and developer of young men.

"I am looking forward to moving Blue Dragon Baseball forward with him and his staff."

Nehls takes over a Blue Dragon program that finished 30-28 in the 2023 season, finishing in a tie for fifth place in the Jayhawk West. The Blue Dragons return all-league players&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/bios/gunderson_cody_4bzo">Cody Gunderson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/bios/giesbrecht_ethan_uono">Ethan Giesbrecht</a>&nbsp;among the 2023 freshmen returning for next season.

Nehls comes to Hutchinson after serving four seasons as the pitching coach at Emporia State University. Before Emporia State, Nehls was the head coach at William Woods University from 2017 to 2019. Prior to William Woods, Nehls was the assistant coach at Dodge City Community College from 2012 to 2016 and at Cloud County in 2011.

"These are exciting times," Nehls said. "I would like to thank Dr. Carter File and Josh Gooch for the opportunity to lead this program. I've been a part of the Jayhawk before and I know the history of Hutchinson baseball and what it takes to be successful. I'm fired up to be here."

A native of Hays, Nehls graduated from Hays High in 2004. He played for Mike Warren at Barton in 2005 and 2006, earning all-Jayhawk West honors as a pitcher in 2006. Nehls moved onto Emporia State where he was all-MIAA as a pitcher in 2008. Nehls also had professional stints with the Harlingen Whitewings of the United Baseball League and the Evansville Otters of the Frontier league.

Nehls started his coaching career at Barton in January of 2009 with primary duties as pitching and strength and conditioning coach for one season. In the summer and fall of 2009, Nehls was a coach at the Emporia Baseball Academy, assistant coach for the Emporia Senior Legion team and the head coach of the Emporia Aeros Fall Program. In 2010, Nehls was an assistant coach at Cloud County.

From July 2011 to July 2016, Nehls was an assistant coach for Phil Stephenson at Dodge City Community College. The 2015 Conquistadors won the Region VI Tournament and tied for sixth place at the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. The 2015 Conquistadors went 42-20 and led the Jayhawk West in team ERA at 4.20.

Nehls' first collegiate head coaching position came at William Woods University, located in Fulton, Missouri. From 2017 to 2019, Nehls' coaching record was 81-82-1 with a 31-24 record in 2018 and were ranked No. 20 in the NAIA that season.

The past four seasons, Nehls was the pitching coach at Emporia State. Nehls' pitching staff in 2022 posted Top 5 MIAA rankings in ERA (5th), strikeouts per nine innings (4th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (5th) and fewest walks per nine innings (3rd).

"From a recruiting standpoint, we need to hit the ground running," Nehls said. "I'm building a staff that will be the hardest working staff in the country. We will do everything we can to bring the right type of student-athlete to represent this community and this college in the right way."

Nehls and his wife, Ashley, have three children: Kyndal, Hudson and Chance.

Schmidt resigned after the completion of the 2023 season as Blue Dragon baseball's all-time coaching wins' leader with a record of 384-220 with four Jayhawk West championships.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685652209581.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports InformationHUTCHINSON - Brock Nehls has been hired to be the new head baseball coach at Hutchinson Community College.Nehls is no stranger to the Jayhawk Conference, playing baseball for Barton Community College and serving as an assistant coach at Dodge City, Cloud County and Barton community colleges.Nehls replaces Ryan Schmidt and becomes the 11th head coach in a Blue Dragon Baseball history that dates back to 1975."I am excited to welcome Brock Nehls as the next head baseball coach of Blue Dragon Baseball," Hutchinson Athletic Director Josh Gooch said. "Coach Nehls has all the qualities we were looking for in a head coach. He is a tireless recruiter, a great baseball mind and a leader and developer of young men."I am looking forward to moving Blue Dragon Baseball forward with him and his staff."Nehls takes over a Blue Dragon program that finished 30-28 in the 2023 season, finishing in a tie for fifth place in the Jayhawk West. The Blue Dragons return all-league players&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/bios/gunderson_cody_4bzo">Cody Gunderson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/bios/giesbrecht_ethan_uono">Ethan Giesbrecht</a>&nbsp;among the 2023 freshmen returning for next season.Nehls comes to Hutchinson after serving four seasons as the pitching coach at Emporia State University. Before Emporia State, Nehls was the head coach at William Woods University from 2017 to 2019. Prior to William Woods, Nehls was the assistant coach at Dodge City Community College from 2012 to 2016 and at Cloud County in 2011."These are exciting times," Nehls said. "I would like to thank Dr. Carter File and Josh Gooch for the opportunity to lead this program. I've been a part of the Jayhawk before and I know the history of Hutchinson baseball and what it takes to be successful. I'm fired up to be here."A native of Hays, Nehls graduated from Hays High in 2004. He played for Mike Warren at Barton in 2005 and 2006, earning all-Jayhawk West honors as a pitcher in 2006. Nehls moved onto Emporia State where he was all-MIAA as a pitcher in 2008. Nehls also had professional stints with the Harlingen Whitewings of the United Baseball League and the Evansville Otters of the Frontier league.Nehls started his coaching career at Barton in January of 2009 with primary duties as pitching and strength and conditioning coach for one season. In the summer and fall of 2009, Nehls was a coach at the Emporia Baseball Academy, assistant coach for the Emporia Senior Legion team and the head coach of the Emporia Aeros Fall Program. In 2010, Nehls was an assistant coach at Cloud County.From July 2011 to July 2016, Nehls was an assistant coach for Phil Stephenson at Dodge City Community College. The 2015 Conquistadors won the Region VI Tournament and tied for sixth place at the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. The 2015 Conquistadors went 42-20 and led the Jayhawk West in team ERA at 4.20.Nehls' first collegiate head coaching position came at William Woods University, located in Fulton, Missouri. From 2017 to 2019, Nehls' coaching record was 81-82-1 with a 31-24 record in 2018 and were ranked No. 20 in the NAIA that season.The past four seasons, Nehls was the pitching coach at Emporia State. Nehls' pitching staff in 2022 posted Top 5 MIAA rankings in ERA (5th), strikeouts per nine innings (4th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (5th) and fewest walks per nine innings (3rd)."From a recruiting standpoint, we need to hit the ground running," Nehls said. "I'm building a staff that will be the hardest working staff in the country. We will do everything we can to bring the right type of student-athlete to represent this community and this college in the right way."Nehls and his wife, Ashley, have three children: Kyndal, Hudson and Chance.Schmidt resigned after the completion of the 2023 season as Blue Dragon baseball's all-time coaching wins' leader with a record of 384-220 with four Jayhawk West championships.

⚾ Hays High grad Nehls named Hutchinson CC head coach

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Rising senior Nae’Qwan Tomlin
officially withdrew from the 2023 NBA Draft late Tuesday night (May 31), opting
to return for his senior season at Kansas State in 2023-24.

The 6-foot-8, 195-pound forward from Harlem, N.Y., was a
major component for a Wildcat team that won 26 games and advanced to the Elite
Eight for the 13th time in school history in 2022-23. He was third
in scoring (10.4 ppg.) and double-digit scoring games (21) behind All-Americans
Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson and second in rebounding
(5.9 rpg.) to Johnson, while he led the way in blocks (1.0 bpg.) and dunks
(43).

One of four players to start all 36 games a year ago, Tomlin
averaged 10.4 points on 50 percent (147-of-294) shooting from the field,
including 27.5 percent (19-of-69) from 3-point range, to go with 5.9 rebounds,
1.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks in 27.3 minutes per game. He also
connected on 73.8 percent (62-of-84) from the free throw line. He ranked among
the Big 12’s top-15 in 4 categories, including fourth in offensive rebounds
(2.22 orpg.), seventh in blocked shots, ninth in rebounding and 14th
in defensive rebounds (3.64 drpg.).

Among Tomlin’s 21 double-digit scoring games were 7 in Big
12 play, including 17 and 19 points in 2 meetings against Oklahoma. He also
collected 2 double-doubles on the season, including a 15-point, 10-rebound
performance in the win over No. 2 Kansas at Bramlage Coliseum on Jan. 7. He was
selected as the Big 12 co-Newcomer of the Week on Dec. 26 after posting his
first career 20-point game in the win over Radford on Dec. 21, as he scored a
game-high 26 points to go with 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Tomlin was playing his best basketball at the end of the
season, scoring in double figures in the last 5 games, including all 4 NCAA
Tournament games. He averaged 12.5 points on 59.5 percent (22-of-37) shooting
in the NCAA Tournament with 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 29.8 minutes per
game. His best all-around game came in the win over Kentucky in the second
round with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals in 30 minutes.

Tomlin came to K-State after earning NJCAA All-American
honors at Chipola College in 2021-22, averaging a team-leading 13.8 points, 5.9
rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.

Tomlin is among six returners, including three starters, who
are expected to return to K-State for the 2023-24 season. He will be joined by
fellow regular starters – senior David N’Guessan and junior Cam
Carter – along with sophomores Jerrell Colbert and Dorian
Finister and redshirt freshman Taj Manning.

Graduate transfer Tylor Perry (North Texas) as well
as freshmen Dai Dai Ames, R.J. Jones and Macaleab Rich
will arrive this weekend with the Wildcats convening for the start of summer
workouts on Monday (June 5).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685646972455.jpeg" alt="Kansas State Athletics photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan. – Rising senior Nae’Qwan Tomlin
officially withdrew from the 2023 NBA Draft late Tuesday night (May 31), opting
to return for his senior season at Kansas State in 2023-24.The 6-foot-8, 195-pound forward from Harlem, N.Y., was a
major component for a Wildcat team that won 26 games and advanced to the Elite
Eight for the 13th time in school history in 2022-23. He was third
in scoring (10.4 ppg.) and double-digit scoring games (21) behind All-Americans
Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson and second in rebounding
(5.9 rpg.) to Johnson, while he led the way in blocks (1.0 bpg.) and dunks
(43).One of four players to start all 36 games a year ago, Tomlin
averaged 10.4 points on 50 percent (147-of-294) shooting from the field,
including 27.5 percent (19-of-69) from 3-point range, to go with 5.9 rebounds,
1.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks in 27.3 minutes per game. He also
connected on 73.8 percent (62-of-84) from the free throw line. He ranked among
the Big 12’s top-15 in 4 categories, including fourth in offensive rebounds
(2.22 orpg.), seventh in blocked shots, ninth in rebounding and 14th
in defensive rebounds (3.64 drpg.).Among Tomlin’s 21 double-digit scoring games were 7 in Big
12 play, including 17 and 19 points in 2 meetings against Oklahoma. He also
collected 2 double-doubles on the season, including a 15-point, 10-rebound
performance in the win over No. 2 Kansas at Bramlage Coliseum on Jan. 7. He was
selected as the Big 12 co-Newcomer of the Week on Dec. 26 after posting his
first career 20-point game in the win over Radford on Dec. 21, as he scored a
game-high 26 points to go with 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.Tomlin was playing his best basketball at the end of the
season, scoring in double figures in the last 5 games, including all 4 NCAA
Tournament games. He averaged 12.5 points on 59.5 percent (22-of-37) shooting
in the NCAA Tournament with 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 29.8 minutes per
game. His best all-around game came in the win over Kentucky in the second
round with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals in 30 minutes.Tomlin came to K-State after earning NJCAA All-American
honors at Chipola College in 2021-22, averaging a team-leading 13.8 points, 5.9
rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.Tomlin is among six returners, including three starters, who
are expected to return to K-State for the 2023-24 season. He will be joined by
fellow regular starters – senior David N’Guessan and junior Cam
Carter – along with sophomores Jerrell Colbert and Dorian
Finister and redshirt freshman Taj Manning.Graduate transfer Tylor Perry (North Texas) as well
as freshmen Dai Dai Ames, R.J. Jones and Macaleab Rich
will arrive this weekend with the Wildcats convening for the start of summer
workouts on Monday (June 5).