By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post Sports
HAYS - Jalen Smith pitched a complete game shutout as the Hays High Indians knocked off the Brush Beet Diggers 5-0 Friday evening at Leo-Harper Field.
The night cap of the first day of the Diamond Classic got underway with three runs in the bottom of the first inning for Hays (12-7). Johnny Cano and Jalen Smith led off with singles. Each stole a base and Cano scored on a passed ball for the game's first run.
Brett Rhoades walked later in the inning and Trace Jacobs plated Smith and Rhoades with a single for a 3-0 advantage.
Smith allowed a one out double in the first inning. He and the Indian defense retired the next ten batters. A two-out walk in the fourth ended that streak.
The Indians added a run in each the bottom of the fourth and sixth. Cano singled home Ian McGuire in the fourth for a 4-0 advantage. Cano then laid down a bunt single up the first base line for a 5-0 lead when McGuire again scored. Cano recorded three of the Indians eight hits. McGuire had two hits.
Smith (2-2) worked around trouble in the sixth and seventh innings to earn the victory. The Beet Diggers put two on with nobody out in the sixth. Smith threw out the lead runner at third base on a ground ball for the first out of the inning. Kaleb Roe, Cano and Carter Graham combined for a double play to end the inning on the next at-bat.
Smith loaded the bases in the seventh with one out on a hit-batter and a pair of walks. He then recorded his fifth strikeout and caught an infield pop-up to end the game.
Hays improves to 1-1 at the Diamond Classic. They face Life Prep at 3:45 Saturday and then TMP following that game.
Day 1 Results
Manhattan 12, Hays 5
Manhattan 10, Life Prep 3
Life Prep 5, TMP 0
TMP 3, Brush (CO) 1
Hays 5, Brush (CO) 0
Day 2 Schedule
9:30 - Manhattan v TMP
11:30 - Manhattan v Brush (CO)
1:45 - Life Prep v Brush (CO)
3:45 - Hays v Life Prep
5:45 - Hays v TMP