HAYS - Hays High hosted their first games on the now all turn Hays High baseball field on Wednesday. Mother nature postponed the games with the Salina Central Mustangs on Monday.
Game 1: Hays 8, Salina 3
Hays High scored eight runs after falling behind 2-0 in an 8-3 defeat of Salina Central.
The Indians allowed two runs in the top of the second on a pair of hits and an error. Hays bounced back in the bottom of the third to tie the game. Charlie Roe and Tiger Johnson opened the inning with a pair of singles. Both scored on separate passed balls to tie the game.
Hays loaded the bases in the bottom of fifth inning with one out. The Indians didn't take advantage until there was two outs when a ball lifted off the bat of Corbin Werth was missed play in left field for an error allowing three runs to score. Ian McGuire, Carter Graham and Brett Schumacher all scored to take the lead at 5-2
The Indians' defense got out of an bases loaded one out jam in the top of the fifth when starting pitcher Tiger Johnson induced a pair of pop-ups.
Hays scored three more runs in the sixth inning. Johnny Cano, Charlie Roe and Johnson all scored to increase the lead to 8-2. Central added a final run in the top of the 7th for the final margin of 8-3.
Tiger Johnson recorded three hits and was also the winning pitcher. He went six and a third innings allowing three runs on seven hits. Johnson struck out a career high seven and walked three. Tanner Boxberger worked the final two outs.
Game 2: Hays 7, Salina Central 5
Hays High only scored in the first two innings but plated seven runners in that time for a 7-5 win.
The Indians scored three in the bottom of the first by taking advantage of two Central errors. Lex Lummus scored the first run. Jack Weimer singled in Brett Schumacher and Corbin Werth scored on the throw back to the infield for a 3-0 advantage.
Ian McGuire worked a perfect top of the first but was touched for three runs in the top of the second to tie the game.
Hays grabbed the advantage back in the bottom of the second by scoring four runs. Charlie Roe, Tiger Johnson and Cooper Sanders all reached to open the inning. Lummus drove in the go ahead run with a sacrifice fly that scored Roe. A Dylan Haselhorst ground out provided a 5-3 advantage when Johnson crossed the plate. Corbin Werth drove in Sanders on a single and Carter Graham put the lead at 7-3 on an error on the same play.
The Mustangs scored two more runs in the top of third for a 7-5 score. That would be the score through the rest of the game.
McGuire pitched the first three innings and took the win. Brendan Stults took over in the fourth inning and pitched three scoreless innings. He allowed just one hit and walked one batter while striking out two. Johnny Cano pitched the seventh for the save allowing just one hit and the defense provided three outs on ground balls.
Salina Central had five errors in the game.
Hays High opens the season 2-0 and will be traveling to Liberal on Friday to start Western Athletic Conference play. Salina Central has dropped three straight games and is 1-3.