Hays Post
HAYS – Garrett Gruell homered and drove in five runs, Tyler LaRue hit two home runs and drove in four runs and the Hays Larks beat the Western Nebraska Pioneers 13-4 Friday night at Larks Park.
LaRue gave the Larks (29-6) the early lead with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning. After the Pioneers (24-10) scored two in the second, LaRue’s solo shot in the third pushed the lead to 4-2.
The Larks blew the game open with a five-run fifth inning. Cash Benavidez and Damian Ruiz had back-to-back two-out RBI doubles. Ruiz later scored on a wild pitch. John Ceccoli and Garrett Gruell then followed with back-to-back RBI doubles.
Gruell added a three-run homer in the sixth. He closed out the scoring with an RBI double in the eighth.
Preston Tabor (3-0) allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks and picked up the win. Kaleb Meredith and Michael Cruz both pitched two scoreless innings of relief. The two combined to strikeout eight over the four innings.
TRIPLE CROWN
Tyler LaRue leads in two of the three categories for the Rocky Mountain Baseball League triple crown. The senior our of Houston Baptist leads the league with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs. He’s currently third with a .429 batting average where he trails Denver’s Zeke Minic (.432) and Liberal’s Isaac Webb (.446).
RECORD YEAR
LaRue is having one of the best season’s in Hays Larks history. His .429 batting average is currently the sixth-highest for a single season. His .550 on-base percentage is the second highest behind Wyatt Divis’ .576 in 2021. His 15 home runs are tied for the second most in a season along with Johnny Hunter in 1995 and is two behind the record of 17 hit by Tom Nevin in 1988. LaRue’s 50 runs batted in are the 10th most in a single-season.
UP NEXT
The Larks host the Pioneers out of Gering, Nebraska for game two of the three-game series Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Admission is once again free courtesy of McDonalds/Commerce Bank/Optimist Club of Hays/Horizon Appliance. The game is the annual McKid’s Day sponsored by McDonalds. The series wraps up Sunday night at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday’s series finale is the annual Pack the Pantry game with all fans encouraged to bring a canned food item to help stock the Community Assistance Center.