Hays High hosted Liberal on Friday in a wind blown double header. The evening was also an opportunity for the Indians to honor seniors Willie Sennett, Trey Riggs, Palmer Hutchison, Cody Petersen, Chance Murphy and Brandon Hoffman.
Game 1
Hays 1 – Liberal 0
The first game of the double header featured two of the best pitchers in the Western Athletic Conference. Trey Riggs started for Hays High while Braxton Hyde got the nod for Liberal. The two threw up zeroes on the scoreboard through the first three innings with neither pitcher facing much of a threat.
The Indians were able to finally scratch across a run in the bottom of the fourth. Following three straight singles from Trey Riggs, Brock Lummus, and Dylan Dreiling to load the bases with no outs, Dominque Bainter came to the plate. He was hit by the next Hyde pitch to send a run home. That is all the Indians would get though as Hyde got a strike out and a double play to work out of trouble.
Game 1 Highlights
That was all Trey Riggs needed. The senior stranded a runner at third in the fifth following an error and two wild pitches, stranded a runner at second in the sixth following a one out double, and runners at first and second with two outs in the seventh.
The 1-0 victory pushes Riggs’ record to 4-1 and marks the sixth time he has gone seven innings in a game during his career. He struck out eight and walked just one. Liberal’s Hyde struck out six, walked three and hit one batter. His record drops to 5-1 but will improve on his 0.85 ERA to 0.71.
Game 2
Hays 13 – Liberal 3 (5 Innings)
Game two seemed to have the same makings of the first game. A scoreless first inning gave way to a three run third by the Indians off the bat of Cody Petersen who drove in two runs on a single. The Indians led 3-1 after the second inning. Liberal scored off of two Hays errors and a wild pitch in the top of the third inning for a 3-1 score.
The Indians put little doubt into the outcome of the game in the bottom of the third. Hays sent 14 to the plate against three different pitchers resulting in 10 runs. Every batter in the lineup scored a run in the inning, Justus Dotts scored two as a courtesy runner for Brock Lummus who reached on a pair of hits.
Game 2 Highlights
Liberal scored two in the top of the fourth but would get no closer. Hays closed the game out by run rule 13-3 in the fifth.
Palmer Hutchison takes the win and moves to 4-0 on the year.
Coach Frank Leo
With the double header sweep Hays wins their 18th Western Athletic Conference title under coach Frank Leo. The Indians are now 13-1 on the season and Liberal drops to 10-6.
Hays will host the Diamond Classic tournament next Thursday, Friday and Saturday.