Hays High hosted Garden City on a windy Friday on the newly named Leo-Harper Field. The baseball facility recently underwent a major face lift in the off season. The entire field was turfed, new nets were installed behind home plate and new bleachers were installed among other upgrades.
The USD 489 Board approved the revamp in 2023.
Prior to the doubleheader the field was named for long time head coach Frank Leo and assistant Keith Harper. Those two were solely responsible for the original complex being built along with several members in the community. They coached at Hays High from 1981 to 2019.
Game 1
Hays 12, Garden City 2
Ian McGuire tripled in two runs in the bottom of the second inning to give Hays a lead they would not give up on the way to a 12-2 run rule victory.
Hays trailed 1-0 after the first inning on a single and an error that left Garden City leading by one. The Indians did their damage in the bottom of the second with two outs. Dylan Haselhorst singled then Tanner Boxberger was hit by a pitch. McGuire hit a triple over the head of the right fielder that drove in courtesy runner Brett Schumacher and Boxberger for a 2-1 advantage.
Cooper Sanders added to the lead with an single to score McGuire.
Hays added two more runs in the fourth on an inside the park home run by Johnny Cano that also scored Lex Lummus who doubled prior to Cano's hit.
The Indians stretched out their lead to 9-2 after four innings with runs from Tiger Johnson, Lummus, Cano and Schumacher.
Hays ended the game in the bottom of the sixth with three runs for a run-rule 12-2 victory.
Nolan Dreher pitched four innings of two run ball for his second victory of the season. Boxberger threw two innings of no hit ball to finish the game.
Game 2
Hays 9, Garden City 3
Hays scored all nine of their runs in the bottom of the sixth to complete the sweep of Garden City with a 9-3 victory.
Hays High's Carter Graham was locked in a pitching duel with Garden City's Evan Finch through five innings. Hays turned two double plays in the first four innings to keep the Buffaloes off the board. Garden City threw out a runner at the plate to keep the game scoreless in the bottom of the second.
The Buffaloes finally broke the scoreless tie with a single run in the fifth. Graham left the game before the sixth, allowing just the one run.
Ian McGuire pitched a perfect sixth inning to set up Hays for the comeback in the bottom of the sixth.
Jack Weimer and Tiger Johnson opened the inning with back to back singles. Lex Lummus moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt. The Indians used a squeeze play on a Johnny Cano bunt that scored Weimer who slid in under the catcher's tag for a 1-1 tie. Hays produced two more bunts with McGuire and Dylan Haselhorst each reaching safely. McGuire's bunt gave Hays a one run lead.
The Indians continued to play small ball with infield hits, taking walks and being hit by a pitch. Lummus doubled in a pair of runs to cap the nine run inning.
McGuire allowed two runs in the top of the ninth before nailing down his second victory of the season.
Hays improves to 7-1 on the season and 4-0 in the Western Athletic Conference. Garden City has dropped three games in a row and is 4-3, 0-3.
The Indians host Great Bend on Tuesday in a key conference double header.