Hays Post Sports
LIBERAL – After falling behind early, the Hays Larks outscored the Liberal BeeJays 8-0 from the seventh inning on, including a pair of runs in the top of the 10th inning in an 11-9 extra-inning victory Thursday in Liberal.
The Larks (12-3-1, 7-3 RMBL) took the early 3-1 lead through three and a half innings, scoring on a Garrett Gruell RBI single in the first inning, a CJ Reid double in the second inning and a passed ball.
Liberal erased the deficit, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fourth and then extended the lead with three in the fifth and one in the sixth for a 9-3 lead.
Down six runs through six innings the Larks outscored Liberal 8-0 over the next four innings.
They got their rally started by scoring two runs in the seventh on a wild pitch and a Ried RBI single.
Jackson Babcock’s grand slam in the top of the eighth inning tied the game at nine.
Then, after a scoreless ninth, Dylan LaRue put the Larks up 10-9 with an RBI triple, and Babcock followed with a sacrifice fly to put Hays up 11-9.
Babcock was two-for-three with five RBIs and scored three times. LaRue collected three hits and scored three times.
Adrian Najar pitched the final four innings of relief for the Larks and picked up the win.
He allowed just two hits and one walk, with four strikeouts.
After an off day on Friday, the Larks return to action at home on Saturday against the Colorado Roughriders.