Hays Post Sports
LIBERAL – The Hays Larks hit four home runs for the second time in three games and rolled to an 18-7 run-rule victory over the Liberal Bee Jays Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at Brent Gould Field.
Taber Stokes and Tanner Norman each belted two-run home runs, while Cooper Holtorf launched a three-run shot during the Larks' seven-run sixth inning. Trent Baker added a two-run homer in the seventh as Hays improved to 23-4 on the season.
The Larks opened the scoring in the first inning on a wild pitch before adding three runs in the second. Austin Crawford delivered an RBI double, and Dylan Haselhorst followed with a two-run triple to make it 4-0.
Norman's RBI single down the left-field line extended the lead to 5-0 in the third.
After Liberal (17-9-1) got on the board with a run in the fourth, Hays broke the game open with four runs in the fifth. Norman drove in a run with a single, Crawford added an RBI groundout, and Rayner Beene capped the inning with a two-run double for a 9-1 advantage.
The Larks put the game out of reach with seven runs in the sixth, highlighted by three home runs, then added two more runs in the seventh to build an 18-3 lead.
Liberal scored four times in the bottom of the seventh but couldn't avoid the run-rule defeat.
Every Larks batter had a hit and all but two drove in a run. Norman led the 18-hit attack, going 4-for-5 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Baker and Beene each collected three hits, while Holtorf drove in three runs.
Ty Schmeidler improved to 4-0 after allowing one earned run on two hits over five innings. He struck out two and walked one.
Up next
The Larks and Bee Jays continue the three-game series with an Rocky Mountain Baseball League contest Tuesday night at Brent Bould Field. The he first-place Larks have a two-game lead over the Bee Jays in the RMBL.
Monday’s
RMBL Scores
Colorado Lumberjax 10, Boulder Collegians 7
Dodge City A’s 13, Fort Collins Foxes 2
Tuesday’s
RMBL Schedule
Hays Larks at Liberal Bee Jays