HAYS - Hays Larks outfielder Grant Schmidt shrugged off a slow start and provided the late game heroics with a walk-off home run Wednesday night in an 8-7 Hays win over the Kansas Cannons at Larks Park.
The Larks (7-1, 3-1 RMBL) found themselves in a early 3-0 hole after a half inning.
The Cannons loaded the bases with one out in the top of the innings and scored on a sacrificed fly and a two-run single to go up 3-0.
Hays got a run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Cam Pehrson.
Pehrson drove in his second of three RBI's on a single in the third making it 3-2.
After the Cannons scored two in the top of the fifth to go up 5-2, Hays sent 11 men to the plate in a five-run bottom of the fifth.
In the inning the Larks scored twice on bases loaded walks and then added solo runs on a Leo Jiminian RBI single, Brock Lummus sacrifice fly and a wild pitch to give Hays the 7-5 lead.
The lead was short lived though as the Cannons plated two in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at seven.
Larks pitching retired 10 of the final 11 hitters they faced and set up the Larks for a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth.
In the ninth Grant Schmidt lead of the inning and took a 1-2 pitch over the left field wall to give Hays the walk-off 8-7 win.
Grant Schmidt was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts before the ninth inning home run, his fourth of the summer.
Cade Brown was the last of six pitchers on the night for Hays and he picked up the win.
He allowed just one hit in an inning with two strikeouts.
Wyatt Divis finished three-for-five and Matt Cavanagh collected two hits in his first action of the season.
Hays returns to action Friday against the Denver Cougars.
Friday will feature the Larks 75th Anniversary celebration.