Austin Darby continued to swing a hot bat, collecting his third straight 3-hit game in the Hays Larks 7-2 win at Haysville Saturday night. Six of the Larks 12 hits went for extra bases as they score four in the third, then after the Heat cut their lead in half with two in the fifth, tack on three in the seventh for the final margin.

Darby and Ryan Busboom both had three hits and drove in two. Joe Betcher added a pair of hits and two RBIs as the Larks even the three-game series at a game a piece.

Blake Johnston pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for the win. Johnston allowed just one hit while striking out two and walking none.

Darby broke a scoreless tie in the third with a two-out RBI triple.  Betcher followed with a run-scoring double to center, Busboom an RBI single and a Jon Ryan double.

The Larks pushed a 4-2 lead to 7-2 in the seventh on a Darby RBI single, Betcher RBI double, Busboom RBI double.

The win moves the Larks to 19-10 and 13-10 in the Jayhawk League where they are 1 1/2 games back of first-place Dodge City who lost at El Dorado.

The Larks close out the three-game series Sunday. They will close out the season with eight of their final 10 games at home.

Saturday night’s Jayhawk League scores…
El Dorado 3, Dodge City 2
Derby 4, Liberal 3