By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

Coming off a third-place finish at last year’s NBC World Series, the Hays Larks are set to embark on a new season Saturday night when they host the Colorado Sox in a six o’clock doubleheader at Larks Park. The two teams close out the series with a single game beginning at 6pm Sunday.

Manager Frank Leo discusses the Larks upcoming season

 

The Larks return nine players from last season’s 33-14 team that went 21-12 and finished second in the Jayhawk League. Among the returners are three players who garnered first team All-Jayhawk League honors in outfielder Michael Burns (Wichita State) who led the team with a .382 a batting average, utility player Derek Birginske (Arkansas State) who was second on the team with eight home runs and relief pitcher Blake Rogers (Oklahoma) who the Larks picked up for the NBC World Series from Liberal.

RELATED STORY: Special nights at Larks Park will honor vets, Little Leaguers.

The Larks play their first nine and 13 of their first 16 games at home including a key four-game Jayhawk League series with El Dorado next weekend.

For the first time under Frank Leo, who begins his 33rd season as manager, the Larks will carry a league maximum 28 players on the roster which he hopes will add depth to the pitching staff.

“We’ve recruited more arms this year for a couple of reasons” Leo said. Typically a guy’s going to be tender and may have to miss a start may have to miss a couple of appearances. The schedule is a little more demanding this year with the addition of two more league teams and it’s always great to have pitching depth.”

The Jayhawk League added the Bethany (OK) Bulls and Haysville (KS) Aviators in the off-season and will have two divisions. The two new teams join the Wellington Heat and Derby Twins in the South Division while the Larks, Dodge City, El Dorado and Liberal play in the North Division. Each team will play their own division opponents eight times while taking on the teams from the opposite division just three times. The two division winners will then meet at the end of the season in a best-of-three championship series.

The two division winners will get an automatic spot into the second week of the National Baseball Congress World Series.