Hays Post
LIBERAL – The Hays Larks raced out to an early lead then held off several Liberal rallies and beat the Bee Jays 9-7 Wednesday night at Brent Gould Field to move within a half-game of first place in the Rocky Mountain Baseball League.
The Larks (24-8, 19-6 RMBL) scored a run in the first inning, five in the second and two in the third to build an 8-1 lead then held off a could of Bee Jay rallies.
Garrett Gruell gave the Larks the early lead with a two-out RBI double in the top of the first. CJ Reid added a bases-loaded, two-run single in the five-run second. Wilbert Espinal added an RBI single. Hays also scored a run on a wild pitch and sac fly from Gruell.
Thomas Lyssy opened the third with a solo homer. Kaleb Duncan’s two-out double scored Ried with what proved to be the game-winning run which pushed the lead to 8-1.
The Bee Jays (22-6, 20-6 RMBL) rallied with three in the bottom of the third. The Larks added an insurance run in the fifth when Taber Stokes singled, stole second and third then scored on an error to go up 9-4.
Liberal added three more runs in the seventh, but Adrian Najar closed the door with two hitless innings of relief with four strikeouts and one walk and picked up the save.
Starter Nolan Wilson (7-0) struck out seven over six innings and picked up the win. Wilson allowed four runs on seven hits with one walk.
UP NEXT
The Larks begin their final homestand of the season Friday night when they host the Denver Cougars in the first game of a three-game series. Friday and Saturday night’s games are league contests with Sunday’s game a non-league affair.