The Hays Larks hit two home runs and defeat Derby 4-2 Sunday night taking the Jayhawk League series two games to one. The Larks improve to 16-3 overall and 12-3 in Jayhawk League play. Derby falls to 9-8 overall and 7-8 in league play.

Zair Koeiman and Taylor Peterson hit solo homers, giving the Larks seven in the three-game series and helping them increase their league lead to four games.

Koeiman’s two-out RBI double put Hays up 1-0 in the first. He made it 2-0 with his solo homer in the third. Peterson gave them a 3-0 lead with his home run in the fourth.

Derby scored single runs in the fourth and fifth to pull within a run.

Aaron Cornell then led off the seventh with a single and eventually scored on a wild pitch for the final margin.

Collin Hightower pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing both runs on four hits while striking out six and walking one to move to 2-0. DJ Carr struck out two over an inning and a third then David Owen worked around a two-out single in the ninth, striking out the side for his first save.

The Larks are off Monday before opening a six-game homestand Tuesday night when they take on Dodge City.

Derby used a two-run homer from Dylan Boston in the bottom of the seventh to break  a 6-6 tie and defeat the Hays Larks 8-6 Saturday night at Panther Field in Derby to even their three-game weekend series at a game a piece. The Larks are now 15-3 overall and 11-3 in the Jayhawk League. The two close out the series Sunday night in Derby.

The Larks grabbed the early lead in the first on Aaron Cornell’s leadoff home run, his second of the series. The Twins quickly responded scoring three in the bottom of the inning on a two-run homer from Drew Luther and solo shot from Dylan Boston.

After the Twins scored in the second to go up 4-1, the Larks starting chipping away, scoring a run in the top of the third on a Ty Gilmore RBI double. They would tie the game in fourth on a Cody Daily two-run homer, however the Twins took the lead back, scoring two in the bottom of the inning.

The Larks would tie the game with single runs in the fifth and sixth. Clayton Garland walked to open the fifth and eventually scored on a throwing error from Twins third baseman Richie Gorski and a grounder off the bat of Zair Koeiman. Garland would knock in the tying run an inning later on a groundout to short scoring Aaron Cornell.

Ian Brantley, who walked the leadoff man to start the seventh before giving up the game-winning home run to Boston in the seventh, takes the loss, allowing the two runs on five hits over 2 2/3 innings.

Aaron Cornell led the Larks 11-hit attack going 3-for-4 and scoring three run.

Liberal’s Tyler Wiedenfield held the Hays Larks hitless through the first five innings Wednesday night as the BeeJays snap the Larks 11-game win streak with a 6-2 victory at Larks Park.

Frank Leo Postgame

Liberal took advantage of an Elvin Rodriguez error to start the sixth and scored five unearned runs in the frame, all with two outs.

Rodriguez doubled off the left field wall in the bottom of the sixth for the Larks first hit. They would have runners at second and third with no outs but could muster just one run.

After Liberal scored in the seventh to go up 6-1, Hays scored their final run in the eighth on a Rodriguez single to right field.

Wiedenfield, a sophomore from Seward County Community College, pitched six innings, holding the Larks to one run on one hit while striking out six and walking one.

Jeff Chesnut (1-1) takes the loss for the Larks. The Nebraska product gave up five unearned runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out three and walking none.

The Larks are now 14-2 overall and 10-2 in the Jayhawk League. They open a three-game series in Derby Fridaynight.

Not even a 45-minute rain delay could stop the Hays Larks from pushing their winning to 11 games with a 5-3 victory over Liberal Tuesday night at Larks Park. . It’s the Larks longest win streak since 2003 when they strung together 13 in-a-row. Hays is now 14-1 on the season and 10-1 in the Jayhawk League. The BeeJays drop their fourth straight and are now 8-10 overall and 4-7 in league play. The two wrap up the two-game series Wednesday at 7pm at Larks Park.

Frank Leo Postgame

Taylor Peterson gave Hays the early lead with a two-run single in the first. Jake Plazcek then smashed a bases-loaded double off the top of the left field wall driving in three in the second to give the Larks a 5-0 lead. 

The BeeJays scored three in the fifth, two of them on Sam Pack’s two-out double that just stayed fair in the right field corner, but could get no more as they drop their fourth straight.

Chandler Hawkins moves to 4-0, allowing the three runs on six hits while striking out nine and walking six. Logan DeRosier pitched a scoreless eighth and David Owen worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.

Jayhawk League scores from Tuesday…
Derby 10, Wellington 9
Dodge City 10, Denver 4
Owasso (Okla.) at El Dorado – cancelled

The Hays Larks overcame five errors, scoring six runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth to blow open a two-run game and defeat the Wellington Heat 13-2 for the three-game series sweep at Hibbs-Hotten Field in Wellington. The Larks have now won 10-straight and improve to 13-1 overall and 9-1 in the Jayhawk League. Wellington drops to 9-5 and 5-5 in league play.

Zair Koeiman led the Larks season-high 18-hit attack, going 4-for-4 with five RBIs. His two-run single gave Hays a 2-0 lead in the first. They were up 4-2 before blowing the game open in the eighth. Koieman hit another two-run single and Cody Daily added a three-run homer. Daily finished with two hits and drove in four.

Colin Hightower wins his Larks pitching debut. The sophomore from Eastern Oklahoma State College allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits, striking out two and walking three over six innings. Ian Bentley and David Owens combined for three scoreless innings of relief.

The Larks are off Monday before opening a two-game series at Larks Park with Liberal who was swept in El Dorado.

Other results from the Jayhawk League…
Derby 8, Dodge City 1, called in 8th due to ran
El Dorado 9, Liberal 8