Hays Post Sports
WICHITA – The Hays Larks scored six runs over the first four
innings and starter Simon Lunsford allowed just one unearned run over six and
two-thirds hitless innings in a 10-4 win over the San Diego Stars Thursday at
Eck Stadium in Wichita.
The Larks scored a run in the first inning on a Jackson Babcock groundout. They added another single run in the second on a groundout by CJ Reid.
Hays’ big inning came in the top of the third inning when Dylan Larue doubled off the right field wall, scoring two runs, making it 4-0 Larks. Tabor Stokes added an RBI single for a 5-0 Hay lead through two and a half innings.
San Diego took advantage of an error by the Larks in the bottom of the inning, cutting the lead to 5-1, Hays.
In the fourth, Hays’ Thomas Lyssy added to the lead on an RBI single, making it 6-1 Larks.
After three straight scoreless innings, for both teams, Hays’ Trent Baker doubled in a run in the top of the eighth and then in the ninth, the Larks scored three more runs for a 10-2 lead.
Paul Smith led off the inning with a triple, and the Larks followed with a Wibert Espinal RBI single, and a two-out Reid double put Hays up eight heading into the bottom of the ninth.
San Diego pushed across a pair of runs in the inning, securing the 10-4 victory.
Nine of the 10 Larks who went to the plate collected at least one hit. Tabor Stokes had three hits and CJ Reid drove in three runs.
The Larks have now won 10 straight games at the NBC World Series and are one win away from getting back to the championship game.
They will take on the Lonestar Kraken at 8:30 p.m. tonight. Hays beat the Kraken 7-4 in pool play on Monday.
The Hutchinson Monarchs take on the Seattle Cheney Studs in the other semifinal game on Friday.