By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
WICHITA - The Hays Larks had not lost a game all season when leading after seven innings until Friday night. The Hutchinson Monarchs rallied from a 4-0 deficit and beat the Larks 6-4 in 11 innings in the pool play opener for both teams at the 89th National Baseball Congress World Series at Eck Stadium on the Wichita State University campus.
The Monarchs (21-17) who finished third in the Jayhawk Collegiate League, scored three in the eighth then added another in the ninth to tie before plating two runs in the top of the 11th for their first lead of the game.
The Larks (37-7) scored twice in the second. After John Cecolli reached on a walk and Austen Jaslove was hit by a pitch, Brady Evans hit a ground-rule double that bounced over the fene in center field to drive in the first run. Luis Garcia followed with a sacrifice fly.
The Larks added two more runs in the seventh. After Trent Baker opened the inning with a single and Lenny Ashby walked, Tyler LaRue made the score 3-0 when he knocked in Baker on a groundout. Garrett Gruell added an infield single which scored Ashby from second to push the lead to 4-0.
The Monarchs answered with three in the top of the eighth. With two outs, Will Edmunson reached on an infield single, Max Buettenback followed with a single to right. They both scored on Jaden Gustafson's double to center.
The Larks loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth but a strikeout and foul out ended the threat.
Hutch tied the game in the top of the ninth on a Caleb Cotton double which bounced over the glove of left fielder Damian Ruiz and allowed Blake Bradford to score from first.
The Larks loaded the bases with two outs in the 10th but failed to score.
The Monarchs pushed two across in the 11tth on another double from Cotton and sacrifice fly.
The Larks were retired in order in the bottom of the inning.
Reed Scott (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings of relief and picked up the win. Derick Johnson, a Fort Hays State signee worked a perfect ninth and got the save.
Jett Lodes (3-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits in 3 1/3 innings of relief and took the loss for Hays.
Starter Tyler Schott scattered three hits over six scoreless innings with a season-high nine strikeouts and two walks.
LATE INNINGS
The Larks had been 30-0 this season when leading after six innings and 23-0 and leading after the seventh and eighth innings.
OPENING ROUND LOSS
Friday's loss was marked the first time the Larks have dropped their NBC World Series opener since 2012 when they fell 2-1 to the Greeley (CO) Grays.
WIN STREAK SNAPPED
Friday's loss to the Monarchs ended the Larks eight-game winning streak.
SERIES EVEN
The Monarchs win evened the series between Hays and Hutchinson at the NBC World Series at 3-3. The winner in the previous five matchups went on to finish in the top four.
CAUGHT STEALING
Larks left fielder Damian Ruiz was caught stealing in the fifth inning. It was the first time Ruiz had been caught in 40 attempts this summer. His 39 stolen bases is the most in a single-season in Larks history.
UP NEXT
The Larks will play the Five Tool (TX) Kraken Sunday at a yet to be determined time. The Kraken lost 10-0 in six inning to the defending NBC champion Santa Barbara Foresters in the late game Friday.