Hays Post Sports
HAYS — Ty Schmeidler hit a grand slam and drove in six runs as the Larks downed the Newton Rebels 12-4 on Friday night at Larks Park.
Newton wasted no time, jumping on the Larks early and scoring four runs in the top of the first inning.
All four runs came off Larks starter Carson Liles, who settled in and allowed just four runs on four hits over four innings while striking out three.
Hays answered with two runs in the bottom of the first, both with two outs. The first came on a Tanner Norman RBI single, and the second scored on a wild pitch, cutting Newton's lead to 4-2.
Following a scoreless second inning and a scoreless top of the third, Hays took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third.
Taber Stokes got the scoring started with an RBI double. An RBI groundout tied the game at 4, and Schmeidler followed with an RBI single to give the Larks a 5-4 lead.
Hays' offense then erupted for six runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Larks scored on an M. Flowers single, a Brand Wilson double and Schmeidler's grand slam.
Schmeidler drove in the game's final run with a double in the sixth inning as the Larks secured the 12-4 victory.
Schmeidler finished 3 for 5 with six RBIs. Brayden Huebner went 3 for 4 and scored twice.
Three Larks relievers combined for five shutout innings.
Hays (11-0) hosts Dodge City in a nonleague game Sunday at Larks Park.
Key AP style fixes:
- Changed "Friday night, 12-4 at Larks Park" to "12-4 on Friday night at Larks Park."
- Removed apostrophes from plural statistics ("RBIs," not "RBI's").
- Changed "3-for-5" and "3-for-4" to AP-preferred "3 for 5" and "3 for 4."
- Changed "non-league" to "nonleague."
- Smoothed several sentences for readability and conciseness while preserving the game story format.