WICHITA – Keegan Curtis and three relievers combined to strike out 14 batters, Michael Burns and Mike Mioduszewski both had three hits to lead the Hays Larks to a 7-2 win over the Hutchinson Monarchs in their pool play opener on the first day of Championship Week Friday night at the NBC World Series.

Frank Leo Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

Curtis (3-0) struck out 11 to match a Larks season high. He gave up an unearned run on three hits over six innings and allowed only one base runner past first base. Five of his strikeouts came against the Monarchs leadoff hitter.

After Tyler Schwaner worked a scoreless seventh, Graylon Brown gave up a run in the eighth but got a strikeout with runners at the corners to limit the damage. Chad Smith closed out the game with a perfect ninth.

Burns scored the Larks (39-10) first run on an Austin O’Brien sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. Jacob Boston added a sac fly later in the frame, scoring Nate Olinger, to put Hays up 2-0.

After the Monarchs scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth, the Larks answered with five in the top of the sixth. Two runs scored on bases loaded walks to Burns and Olinger. Two more scored on a two-out throwing error.

The Larks have won six straight and 16 of their last 18. They continue pool play Sunday at 7 pm against the San Diego Waves who lost 6-0 to the Northwest (WA) Honkers in Friday’s first game.