BOULDER, Colo. – Wyatt Divis got a strikeout with the tying run and third and the winning run on first and the Hays Larks held off a late rally to beat the Boulder Collegians 7-6 in a non-league game Sunday. The Larks (14-4) led 6-2 after five but the Collegians answered with three in the sixth then after the Larks scored a run in the eighth, the Collegians got one in the ninth.
Divis pitched the final 3 1/3 innings allowing on unearned run with three strikeouts and no walks for his first save of the season. Starter Luuk ter Beek (3-1) gave up two runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk over five innings for the win.
Tyler Palmer hit two home runs. His three-run shot in the fourth gave the Larks a 5-2 lead. He added a solo shot in the eighth put Hays up 7-5.
Palmer finished 2-for-4 with two home runs and drove in four runs while scoring twice.
The Larks scored two in the first on a Cortland Lawson triple and an error. The Collegians scored a run in the bottom of the first and one in the third to tie the game 2-2. The Larks then struck for three in the fourth on the Palmer three-run homer then added a run in the fifth on a Palmer Hutchison sacrifice fly.
The Collegians took advantage of a leadoff error followed by back-to-back doubles and a single to close the gap to 6-4 in the sixth. They made it a one-run game later in the inning scoring a run on a bases-loaded hit by pitch.
Palmer’s second homer of the night in the eighth pushed the Larks lead to 7-5. The Collegians then rallied in the bottom of the ninth. A two-out error followed by back-to-back singles closed the gap to 7-6 but Divis struck out AJ Rouco with runners and the corners to end the game.
SCHEDULE CHANGE
Due to rainouts Thursday and Friday in Colorado, the Larks schedule has been altered. The Larks game with Oklahoma City on Sunday, July 18th has been cancelled. The Larks will now host the Colorado Roughriders for four games starting with a single game on Monday, July 19th at 7:00 p.m. The two will play a doubleheader on Tuesday, July 20th beginning at 5:30 p.m. then play another single game on Wednesday, July 21st at 7:00 p.m.
The Roughriders will be the home team for the July 19th game as well as first game of the doubleheader on the 20th.
UP NEXT
The Larks are back on the road Tuesday in Augusta against the Kansas Cannons. They close out their final road swing of the season Wednesday in Junction City against the Brigade. They then return home for a key RMBL series with the Fort Collins Foxes beginning Saturday at Larks Park.