Hays Post
HAYS – The Hays Larks entered the final game of the regular season Monday night a half-game back of idle Liberal and the top spot in the Rocky Mountain Baseball League, need a win to claim their fifth straight league championship.
The Larks and Bee Jays finished with identical 22-6 RMBL records with Hays taking three-of-four in the head-to-head matchups.
And they wasted no time scoring 6 runs over the first four innings in a 11-3 win over the Dodge City A’s.
The Larks scored single runs in the first two innings, scoring on a bases loaded walk in the first and a Kaleb Duncan triple in the second for a 2-1 lead.
After Dodge City scored two runs in the top of the third Hays answered with two runs in the bottom of the third and fourth innings.
Trent Baker tripled in a run and then Thomas Lyssy followed with an RBI double in the third making it 4-3 Larks.
Wilbert Espinal homered in the bottom of the fourth extending the Larks lead to 6-3.
After scoring on a Kaleb Duncan RBI groundout in the sixth the Larks broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Bakers singled home a run, followed by a two-run double for Lyssy who then scored on a wild pitch putting Hays up 11-3.
Lyssy doubled three times and drove in three runs and Wilbert Espinal homered and drove in three runs.
Dalton Campbell earned the win for Hays. He allowed three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
The Larks (28-8 & 22-6 RMLB) open play at the NBC World Series Friday in the 8:30 p.m. game against the Air Capital Flyers.