WICHITA – The Hays Larks pounded out a season-high 21 hits and extended their winning streak to nine games with a 13-7 win over the Alaska Goldpanners in the quarterfinals of the 82nd National Baseball Congress World Series Thursday at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. The Larks (42-10) advance to Friday’s semifinals where they will face the Kansas Stars, a team comprised of recently retired players from the major leagues, at 7 p.m. Friday. The Stars knocked out the defending champion Seattle (WA) Studs 10-2 Friday.

The Santa Barbara (CA) Foresters play the San Diego (CA) Force in Friday’s second semifinal at 9:30 p.m. The five-time champion Foresters eliminated the Northwest (WA) Honkers 11-0 in six innings. The Force scored seven runs in the seventh to rally past the NJCAA National Team 12-8 in Thursday night’s late game.

Frank Leo Postgame

Game Highlights

After they squandered several scoring opportunities early, the Larks broke through for five runs in the fourth inning then added two in the sixth for a 10-3 lead. The Goldpanners (25-18) scored three on a two-out home run from Isaiah Aluko in the seventh, but the Larks answered with three in the bottom of the inning to retake control.

The Larks first seven batters all hit safely to open the fourth. Ty Redington, Nate Olinger, Austin O’Brien, Jacob Boston and Jeff Deimling all drove in runs.

Micheal Burns and Austin O’Brien both had four hits. Burns was a home run away from hitting for the cycle and scored twice while O’Brien drove in two. Nate Olinger and Jacob Boston both had two hits. Boston drove in three.

Starter Stephen Yancey (5-2) allowed two earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk over six innings and picked up the win.

The Larks 42 wins is tied for second most in team history, joining the 2003 team.