HAYS – The Hays Larks sent eight men to the plate in three innings Saturday and two pitchers combined on a four-hitter has they took down the Colorado Springs Outlaws 11-1 at Larks Park.
Larks coach Frank Leo
After both teams were retired in order in the first inning the Outlaws were able to load the bases against Larks starter Landon Schirer in the top of the second inning. Schirer allowed a four-pitch walk to the number nine hitter Hayden Ambuehl giving Colorado Springs the 1-0 lead. But that lead was short lived.
In the bottom half of the inning the first four batters of the inning reached by. Corbin Truslow collected one of his two singles on the night to lead off the inning. Jake Wyeth walked and the Palmer Hutchison laid down a perfect bunt to load the bases.
Truslow scored Hays’ first run of the game when Outlaws starter Devin Dodson threw the ball to the backstop. Sean Cooper drove in his first of two runs on the night with a fielder’s choice grounder to first and then two batters later, with the bases loaded again, Hutchison scored on Dodson’s second wild pitch of the inning. Hays led 3-1 through two innings.
In the third inning, Wyatt Divis collected his first hit of the summer, a solo homerun to right, to lead off the inning putting Hays up 4-1.
Truslow singled in the next at bat and with two outs in the inning Cooper drove him in with a singe to right. Two batters later, with the bases loaded again, Drew Buhr singled home Cooper putting Hays up 6-1.
In the bottom of the sixth the first five Larks to come to the plate reached, three of them on walks and one on a hit-by-pitch. Truslow was hit in the back on a breaking ball with the bases loaded to make it 7-1. Wyeth walked with the bases loaded in the next at bat giving Hays an 8-1 lead.
Hays got two more in the inning when reliever Micah Bregard threw a pair of wild pitches and through six innings Hays led 10-1.
In the seventh Buhr walked and three batters later Divis drove him in with a single to center to secure the Larks 11-1 run-rule win in seven innings.
Schirer allowed just one run on three hits and struck out four in for innings for Hays.
Ryan Ruder earned the win. He allowed one hit and struck out three in three innings of relief.
The Larks improve to 4-1 and will look for the sweep of the Outlaws Sunday at Larks Park.