Hays Post Sports
AUGUSTA – Brady Kreutzer hit the go-ahead homer in the fifth, Thomas Lyssy and CJ Reid both had three hits and the Hays Larks beat the Kansas Cannons 9-5 Tuesday evening at Augusts High School. The Larks scored single runs in the fourth and fifth to take the lead then added two in the seventh and one in the ninth to run their winning streak to four while handing the Cannons their sixth straight loss.
The Larks (19-4-1) grabbed the early lead with a four-run third. A hit batter followed by back-to-back singles from Reid and Kaleb Duncan loaded the bases. Jackson Babcock drove in the first run with an infield single. Dylan LaRue drove in the second run with a single to right, Lorenzo Rios walked then Brady Kreutzer had a sacrifice fly.
The Cannons (12-13-1) answered with five in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-4 lead, but the Larks came right back with single runs in fourth and fifth. Lane Sparks sacrifice fly scored Duncan to tie the game 5-5 in the fourth. Brady Kreutzer’s two-out solo home run to left gave them the lead for good.
Wilbert Espinal had an RBI double and Lyssy an RBI single in the seventh. Espinal scored on a Duncan’s sacrifice fly in the ninth to cap the scoring.
Four Larks pitchers combined to throw 6 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Adrian Najar (2-0) allowed one hit with five strikeouts and one walk over 2 2/3 innings and picked up the win. Paul Smith pitched two hitless innings with four strikeouts, Lane Sparks and Trent Baker both pitched a hitless frame to close out the game.
Starter Dylan Hill allowed five runs on three hits with five walks and no strikeouts.
The five pitchers combined to strike out 14 Cannon batters.
DOUBLE DIGIT HITS
The Larks had 13 hits against the Cannons. It’s their 10th-straight game of double-digit hits. The Larks have had 10 or more hits in 17 of their 24 games this season.
UP NEXT
The Larks begin a 10-game homestand to close out the regular season Thursday with the first game of the four-game series with the Collegiate Roughriders.