HAYS – A split for the Hays Larks Wednesday at Larks Park. Liberal won the completion of Tuesday’s series opener  10-3 but the Larks (24-8, 20-7 JL) came back to take the regularly scheduled game 10-7.

Frank Leo Postgame

Game Highlights

 

Liberal manager Carlos Lezcano played the first game under protest when he was forced to take out a pitcher in the sixth inning after his first visit to the mound on Tuesday night. The game resumed Wednesday with one out in the bottom of the sixth with the Larks trailing 4-2. They had runners on second and third with one out and Garrett McKinzie at the plate. McKinzie popped up then Andy Shadid struck out. Liberal (15-16, 14-15 JL) then scored a run in the seventh, three in the eighth and two in the ninth.

D.J. Carr (4-3) allowed four runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and one walk and suffered the loss.

The Larks overcame a 3-0 first inning deficit in the second contest. Starter Alex Lopez (6-0) gave up a two-run homer to Kyle Knauth then a solo shot to Cale O’Donnell but settled down to pick up the win. Lopez allowed four runs on nine hitsw ith four strikeouts and two walks.

Andy Shadid hit his second grand slam of the season in the second to give the Larks the lead for good. Fort Hays State’s Alex Weiss added a solo shot to lead off a four-run sixth inning.

Ty Redington and Mikey Gangwish each had three of the Larks 14 hits.

The Larks, who are 4-4 in the second half of Jayhawk League play and trail the Bee Jays by two games, look to make up some ground when they close out the series Thursday night. Free admission courtesy of Emprise Bank and AFLAC. It’s also Educators Night with the first 100 educators receiving a T-Shirt. You can also hear the game on KAYS (1400-AM, 94.3-FM) beginning at 6:45 pm.