Elvin Rodriguez and Sean Wilson hit back-to-back RBI singles in the seventh inning to break a 5-all tie and lift the Hays Larks to an 8-6 win over Derby for a split in the four-game Jayhawk League series Monday night at Larks Park.

The Twins scored in the eighth to pull within a run, but the Jon Ryan scored an insurance run in the eighth when the Twins catcher dropped a popup right in front of home plate. Ryan also hit three-run homer in the first and finished with three hits and four RBI’s.

Jose Gomez picked up his first win of the season, going seven innings. He worked around a four-run second and allowed five runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and four walks. Michael Burchett retired the final four batters for his tenth save.

The win coupled with a Liberal loss moves the Larks alone into second place with one game remaining. The Larks can finish no higher than second place after El Dorado announced they are forteiting their final three games due to lack of players. Two of those games are with Haysville and the other with Derby.

The Larks can wrap up second place in the league and secure a spot into the NBC World Series when they host Dodge City Wednesday night in the regular season finale at 7pm. It’s also fan appreciaton night with all concession stand items $1.

Manager Frank Leo’s postgame news conference
Leo Postgame 7-25-11