Hays Post
HAYS – It had been nearly a full calendar year since the Hays Larks last lost a home game. The Larks won game the first game of their doubleheader with the Bee Jays 8-1 Tuesday, but Liberal held on to take game two 11-10, snapping the Larks 14-game win streak and 22-game home win streak which dated back to July 23, 2022 when they lost to the Bee Jays.
The Larks (27-5, 16-3 RMBL) remain 2 1/2 games ahead of Liberal (21-10, 14-6 RMBL) in the Rocky Mountain Baseball League standings.
John Ceccoli and Tyler LaRue hit back-to-back home runs in the Larks five-run fifth inning in the first game. LaRue drove in four runs and Ceccoli knocked in two.
Tyler Schott (4-1) pitched the Larks first complete game of the summer. The sophomore from Dallas Baptist allowed one earned run on five hits with eight strikeouts and no walks in the seve- inning game.
Liberal built an early 7-0 lead in the second game. Larks answered with four in the third and fourth to pull within 10-8. After the Bee Jays scored a run in the sixth, Damian Ruiz closed the gap to 11-10 with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning but the Larks were retired in order in the seventh ending the comeback bid.
Dylan Hill (0-1) allowed seven runs on seven hits over three innings and suffered the loss.
Trent Baker added a two-rum homer in the fourth. Garrett Gruell drove in three runs.
UP NEXT
The Larks and Bee Jays play another doubleheader Wednesday beginning at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free courtesy of Werth Wealth Management, Bank of Hays and Farm Bureau Insurance-Danny Dinkel.