HAYS – Austin O’Brien hit leadoff home run on the first pitch in the bottom of the 10th inning to lead the Hays Larks to a 3-2 comeback win over Dodge City in the opening game of the best-of-three Jayhawk League Championship Series Friday night at Larks Park. The Larks (36-10) tied the game on Ty Redington’s two-out double that scored Jacob Boston in the ninth.

Daniel James (1-0) worked out of a one-out bases loaded jam in the top of the 10th and gets the win. After he gave up two singles and hit a batter, James got a strikeout and a fly out to end the threat.

Starter Keegan Curtis allowed the two runs in the first on a pair of doubles then threw five shutout innings on six hits with seven strikeouts and four walks. Tyler Schwaner pitched a scoreless seventh then Chad Smith worked a scoreless eighth and ninth. The three relievers combined to give up only three hits with four strikeouts and one walk.

This was the Larks third extra inning game this season, all against the Athletics (28-19), and the the first they’ve won. Hays has now won three straight over Dodge City, who finished fourth in the Jayhawk League second half, and can wrap up their ninth Jayhawk League title with a win on Saturday at Larks Park.