Members of the Hays Larks and Dodge City A’s gather on the field along current and former members of the Armed Forces for Military Appreciation Night.
Joey Begel pitched a complete-game five-hit shutout as the Hays Larks blank Dodge City 5-0 Thursday night at Larks Park to pull within a half-game of the Jayhawk League leaders.
Begel had his best outing of the summer, striking out six and walking just one to move to 2-2. The senior to-be at Illinois-Chicago allowed only two base runners into scoring position as the Larks post their second straight shutout and win their third-straight.
Fellow UIC teammate Jon Ryan broke the scoreless tie with a two-run double in the third. Austin Jarvis drove in the third run of the inning with the second of his three base hits. He would add a solo home run in the fifth to push the Larks lead to 5-0. Zair Koeiman drove in the other run with a base hit in the fourth.
The Larks are now 21-10 overall and 15-10 in the Jayhawk League. Dodge City falls to 21-11 and 16-10 in the league.
The Larks are off Friday before hosting Liberal in the first of a two-game series Saturday. It’s Pack the Park and Park the Pantry Night and all fans are asked to bring a canned food item for the Community Assistance Center. First pitch is set for 7pm with free admission provided by Eagle Communications.
The Hays Eagles Senior American goes 1-1 on the second day of the Blue Springs (Mo.) American Legion Wood Bat Tournament. The Eagles blank Blue Valley Northwest 6-0 in their first game of the day then lost 2-1 to Blue Springs Post 499/Fike and are 1-2 in the 32-team tournament. The Eagles are now 36-7. They play Elsbury (Mo.) Post 266 this morning at 10am.
Eagles 6, Blue Valley Northwest 0
Tyler Wooldridge moves to 7-0 with the complete-game two-hittert. Wooldridge struck out six and walked three.
The Eagles score two in the first on an error by the Blue Valley catcher and a Riley Kaus RBI double. They added four in the sixth on RBI singles from Kaus and Taylor Renz and a sac fly from Casey Sedbrook. The win snapped the Eagles first two-game losing streak of the season.
Blue Springs (Mo.) Post 499/Fike 2, Eagles 0
Hays had the early 1-0 lead against Blue Springs/Fike on a Casey Sedbrook RBI double in the first.
Fike would tie the game then eventually take the lead with two runs in the fourth.
Josh Heifner is the tough luck loser, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings, walking two and striking out four.
After dropping their first game of the Blue Springs (Mo.) American Legion Wood Bat Tournament yesterday the Hays Senior Legion Eagles bounced back with a 6-0 win over Blue Valley Northwest this afternoon.
The Eagles got another solid pitching performance from Tyler Wooldridge who improved to 7-0 with seven shutout innings. Wooldridge allowed just two hits and struck out six.
The Eagles got the scoring going in the first inning when Casey Sedbrook scored on a throwing error by the pitcher. Riley Kaus followed that up with an RBI double giving the Eagles a 2-0 lead after one.
The 2-0 score held until the Eagle’s half of the sixth when Hays scored four runs to take a 6-0 lead. Kaus was two-for-four with a pair of RBI’s and Sedbrook was one-for-three with an RBI. The Eagles are 36-6 on the summer.
After winning 14-straight, the Hays Eagles Senior American Legion has now dropped two in-a-row for the first time all season. The Eagles lost their opener at the Blue Springs (Mo.) American Legion Wood Bat Tournament Wednesday to the Central (Mo.) Spartans 5-3.
Central took the early lead with a two-out homer in the first. Hays tied it on a Jarrett Sanders two-out RBI single in the fourth.
The Spartans got three unearned runs, thanks to two Eagles errors, in the fifth. Hays pulled to within a run with two in the sixth on a Zack Legleiter bases loaded walk and Trevor Henningson sacrifice fly. Then after the Spartans tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the inning, the Eagles get two on with two out in the seventh but are unable to score.
Trever Henningson goes the distance and takes the loss allowing five runs, two earned, on five hits.
The Eagles were held to just three hits as they fall to 35-6. They continue pool play in the 32-team tournament Thursday evening when they take on Blue Springs Post 499/Fike at 6:30pm.
The Salina Falcons scored six in the second then added four in the sixth as they end the Hays Eagles Senior American Legion’s 14-game win streak with a 12-7 win Tuesday night in Salina.
The Eagles scored three in the fourth then added single runs in the fifth and sixth to pull within a run before the Falcons big sixth put the game away.
Eagles starter Taylor Renz was roughed up for 10 runs on 16 hits over six innings and takes the loss. Zack Legleiter went 4-for-5 with two RBIs.
The Eagles are now 35-5 heading into tournament play inKansas Citystarting tomorrow.
The Hays Monarchs are back at Wednesday night, hosting Dodge City.
Nick Goza and four relievers combined on a five-hit shutout as the Hays Larks close out their series in Haysville with a 6-0 victory Sunday night.
Goza, who was added to the roster this week after pitching for the Larks a year ago, gave up four hits while walking three over five innings for the win. Ryan Mas, Michael Freeman, Austin Cox and Jason Heflin each pitched an inning of relief as the Larks take two of three from the last place Heat.
Ryan Busboom drove in two with RBI singles in the fourth and sixth. MacKenzie Handel added a two-run double in the Larks four-run sixth. Aaron Cornell and Elvin Rodriguez also drove in runs as the Larks go 3-2 on the road trip and improve to 20-10 overall and 14-10 in the Jayhawk League where they remain 1 1/2 back of first-place Dodge City.
The Larks, who close with eight of their final ten games at home, are off until Thursday when they host the A’s at Larks Park.
Royals catcher Salvador Perez homered for teh Royals only run in their loss at Detroit (Carlos Osorio-Associated Press)
DETROIT — This wasn’t the road trip the Kansas City Royals were expecting.
They limp into the All-Star Break 3-7 in their travels through Minnesota, Toronto and Detroit, after Sunday’s 7-1 loss to the Tigers.
“The trip was disappointing. Coming into the thing you’re four games out and four games under (actually five-and-a-half games out and five games under. 500),” said Royals’ manager Ned Yost. “. Definitely not the way we figure it would be.”
Kansas City was bludgeoned by Detroit’s power display and dominated by Max Scherzer (8-5).
Delmon Young homered for the fourth consecutive game, Prince Fielder hit a three-run shot and Jhonny Peralta homered and drove in three runs, while Scherzer allowed a run and five hits over seven innings, walking one and striking out seven.
“He was pretty good. He was 96, good run on his fastball,” Yost said about Scherzer. “He was good. It’s the best we’ve seen him.”
Meanwhile, Royals’ starter Everett Teaford (1-2) took the loss. He allowed five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked a batter and struck out five.
“Left a fastball up to Peralta, he’s a good high ball hitter,” Teaford said. “To Delmon, I overthrew a change-up. Didn’t get it down and away. He’s a good hitter.”
Salvador Perez homered for Kansas City’s only run.
Peralta’s two-out, two-run homer in the second inning gave Detroit a 2-0 lead. His towering drive down the left-field line and into the stands came on Teaford’s 0-1 pitch and followed Brennan Boesch’s single
It was Peralta’s fifth home run.
Perez cut the lead in half for Kansas City with his fourth homer, leading off the third. A right-handed batter, Perez lined Scherzer’s 1-0 pitch over the right-field fence and into the stands.
Young’s 10th home run, leading off the fourth made it 3-1. He lined Teaford’s 2-2 pitch into the shrubbery beyond the right-centerfield fence, an estimated 433 feet away.
Kansas City threatened with runners on second and third with two out in the fifth on a lead-off single by Jeff Francoeur and Alex Gordon’s two-out double that sent Francoueur to third. But Scherzer got Alcides Escobar swinging to end the inning.
“That’s the best I’ve seen him, Scherzer,” Francoeur said. ” . He threw well. He pounded fastball, change-up, slider.”
Fielder’s three-run homer in the fifth broke the game open, giving Detroit a 6-1 lead.
He greeted reliever Tim Collins by launching his first pitch halfway up the right-field stands, an estimated 417 feet away. It also scored Austin Jackson and Quintin Berry, who led off the inning with singles.
Both Teaford and Collins are lefthanders. Yost explained why he brought in Collins to face the lefty-swinging Fielder.
“I though Timmy had more to get him with breaking balls and curves. He’s a different kind of lefty. Good change-up, good curve,” Yost said. “Just never got to it because he threw a fastball right down the middle.”
It was the decisive blow.
“That was the dagger, you know. 3-1, you’re still in it. 6-1 …” said Royals right fielder Jeff Francoeur.
It was the 15th homer for Fielder – his third in four games – who was voted the A.L. starter at first base by the fans for Tuesday night’s All-Star game in Kansas City. He will also participate in Monday night’s Home Run Derby. Fielder is batting .299 and has 63 RBIs.
“The amount of power he has, it’s awesome. You got to see it today.,” Scherzer said. “A good reliever who’s had a pretty good year so far and absolutely took his fastball deep. That’s just the type of talent he has and why he makes our team great.”
Peralta doubled in a run in the eighth.
NOTES: Also representing Detroit in the All-Star Game will be third baseman Miguel Cabrera (.324, 18 home runs and 71 RBIs) and Justin Verlander (9-5, 2.58) . Designated hitter Billy Butler ( .290, 16 HR, 52 RBIs) will be the Royals’ only representative in Tuesday night’s game at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium. . Jackson (1-for-5) extended his hitting streak to a career high 15 games (26-for-65, .400).
The Hays Eagles go 6-0 over the weekend to claim the Wild West Tournament. Sunday, the Eagles rallied from an early deficit to beat Great Bend 12-8 then knocked off the Topeka Capitals 4-1 in the title game. The Eagles improve to 35-4 on the season. They travel to Salina for a doubleheader with the Falcons Tuesday.
Title Game: Eagles 4, Topeka Capitals 1 The Hays Eagles needed just one strong inning at the plate, versus the Topeka Capitals to claim the championship of the Wild West Tournament on Sunday. Jarrett Sanders hit a towering two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning, the only inning the Eagles would score. Zach Legleiter followed the home run with a single and a stolen base. Daniel Bittle scored Legleiter with a double, then scored on Casey Sedbrook’s double.
The four run second inning would be all that pitcher Austin Unrein needed in the 4-1 victory. Topeka got the game’s first batter aboard due to an error, then following a fielder’s choice at second, Unrein and his defense retired 17 batters in a row. The Capitals scored a run in the seventh with a one out RBI single (the batter was thrown out by right fielder Casey Sedbrook trying to stretch the hit into a double).
Topeka managed just two hits over seven innings, scored just one run and committed three errors. Hays scored four runs on six hits and had only one error.
Semifinals: Eagles 12, Great Bend8
After Great Bend scored five in the first, the Eagles rally with four in the first and five in the second. Casey Sedbrook and Austin Unrein both drove in a run with a first inning double. Hayden Hutchison added a two-run homer to pull the Eagles within a run.
Unrien and Riley Kaus both drove in runs with singles in the second and Hutchison added a three-rum homer.
Hutchison (7-0) picks up the win allowing eight runs on 13 hits.
Blake Johnston allowed just one hit over 2 2/3 innings of relief and gets the win in the Hays Larks 7-2 win in Haysville Saturday night.
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
The Hays Eagles moved to 4-0 in pool play with a pair of wins Saturday at the Wild West Tournament. The Eagles rallied after taking the early lead to defeat the Topeka Capitals 11-6 in eight innings. They then cruised past Rock Creek 9-1 to move to 33-4 on the season.
Eagles 11, Topeka Capitals 6 (8 innings) The Eagles score one in the top of the seventh to tie then five in the eighth to move to 3-0 in pool play.
Zack Legletier’s single scored Riley Kaus with the game-tying run in the seventh. Josh Heifner worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh. Austin Unrein’s doubled in the eighth drove in the go-ahead run. Hayden Hutchison added a grand slam later in the inning for the final margin.
Unrein and Legleiter both had three hits, Hutchison drove in four. Heifner (8-0) picks up the win, allowing no runs on two hits over four innings of relief.
Eagles 9, Rock Creek 1 (6 innings)
Tyler Wooldridge pitched a complete game one-hitter, allowing just on unearned run as the Eagles move to 4-0 in pool play. The Eagles score three in the third, fourth and sixth for the run-rule victory.
Clayton Basgall and Austin Unrein both had two of the Eagles 11 hits. Zack Legleiter had four RBIs.
Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas (8) hits an RBI single during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE
DETROIT — Yuniesky Betancourt almost hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning for the Kansas City Royals against the Detroit Tigers.
Comerica Park was too big, though, and Austin Jackson too fast.
The Royals scored three runs in the final inning in an 8-7 loss to Detroit.
Betancourt’s drive to left-center was tracked down near the wall by Jackson and then the center fielder charged to make an underhanded catch on Mike Moustakas sacrifice fly for the second out before Jeff Francoeur struck out to end Kanas City’s comeback chances.
At worse, Royals manager Ned Yost thought Betancourt’s blast would land in the gap.
“But Austin Jackson is just a phenomenal center fielder, and he ran it down,” Yost said. “I didn’t think he was going to get Moose’s ball — I didn’t think it was hit hard enough — but he got that one as well.”
Prince Fielder hit a two-run, game-tying homer in the first and Delmon Young had a two-run homer to pad the lead in the seventh inning off Nathan Adcock.
“I knew that if I could keep us in the game we had a chance, but I made one mistake,” Adcock said. “The guys played great defense behind me. There’s a lot of fight in this club, and we kept going. We’re going to get there soon.”
The Royals have lost seven of nine with one game left before hosting the All-Star game on Tuesday night.
Detroit closer Jose Valverde started the ninth with a four-run lead and almost lost it.
Valverde walked Alex Gordon on four pitches to lead off the inning, gave up a double to Alcides Escobar and walked Eric Hosmer to load the bases. All-Star Billy Butler hit a two-run single to pull Kansas City within two runs and Moustakas’ fly made it 8-7.
The Royals were forced to play from behind for much of the game because starter Bruce Chen struggled for the second straight game.
Chen (7-8) gave up six runs for the second game in a row and allowed nine hits over 3 1-3 innings.
“Bruce just never got locked in,” Yost said. “And while we’ve been really good with our long guys this year, Nate just hung one breaking ball. Other than that, he was fantastic.”
The Royals took a 2-0 lead in the first after Butler and Betancourt’s RBI singles, but couldn’t keep it. Jackson hit a leadoff single in the home half and scored on Fielder’s 14th homer, a 382-foot shot to right center with two outs to make it 2-all.
Gerald Laird had an RBI double and Jackson, who extended his career long hitting streak to 14 games, had an RBI single in a three-run second that put the Tigers up 5-2.
Miguel Cabrera’s sacrifice fly in the fourth gave Detroit a four-run lead.
Fister gave up two runs in the first, then pitched three scoreless innings before giving up Moustakas’ two-out homer in the fifth to let Kansas City pull within three runs. Betancourt’s sacrifice fly in the seventh off Villarreal cut Detroit’s lead to two.
Young’s two-out shot gave him his first three-game homer streak and put the Tigers ahead 8-4 in the seventh and they needed the big cushion to hold on for the win.
Doug Fister (2-6) gave up four runs in six-plus innings and snapped a three-game losing streak. Fister, Darin Downs, Brayan Villarreal and Phil Coke combined to pitch a scoreless seventh. Joaquin Benoit struck out two in the eighth and Valverde pitched a very shaky ninth inning.
Detroit has a winning record for the first time since May 10. The Tigers have a four-game winning streak that matches their longest of the season.
“It was just a matter of time,” Young said. “We’re too good of a team to struggle. We just need to win one more game to go into the break on a roll.”
NOTES: The Royals claimed C Adam Moore on waivers from the Seattle Mariners and optioned him to Triple-A Omaha on Saturday. … Detroit has a four-game winning streak for the third time this season.
The Hays Larks drop their series opener in Haysville 4-2 Friday night. The Heat scored two in the third and one in the third off Larks starter Joey Begel who went five innings and allowed the three runs on five hits, striking out five and walking two. He also had three wild pitches.
The Larks pulled within a run with two in the sixth on Jon Ryan’s RBI double. Ryan Busboom also scored on the play on an error on the right fielder.
The Larks would have only one hit the rest of the way as they fall to 18-10 and 12-10 in the Jayhawk League where they fall 2 1/2 games back of first place Dodge City. The A’s edged El Dorado 13-10. Liberal remained a half-game back with a 6-5 come-from-behind win at Derby.
The Hays Eagles pick up a pair of run-rule victories Friday in the opening day of the Wild West Tournament. The Eagles rolled to a 12-1, five inning victory over Colby in their opener then knocked off the Seward (Neb.) Blue Jays 14-0 in four innings. The Eagles improve to 31-4 on the season. They play the Topeka Capitals at 3:45 Saturday afternoon at Hays High field then face Rock Creek at 8:15pm at Larks Park.
Eagles 12, Colby 1 (5 innings)
The Eagles score in every inning including three in the first, two in the second, three in the third and three in the fifth. Clayton Basgall and Casey Sedbrook each had three of the Eagles 14-hit attack. Austin Unrein drove in three.
Trevor Henningson moved to 6-0 with the complete game victory, allowing one unearned run on one hit, striking out eight and walking none. Heningson had a perfect game going until he dropped a throw at first in the fifth inning. He later gave up a two-out RBI single.
Eagles 14, Seward (Neb.) 0 The Eagles took advantage of two errors by Seward in the first inning and scored five runs in the inning. With a 5-0 lead to begin the third inning the Eagles offense exploded again. Hays loaded the bases to begin the inning and Zack Legleiter cleared the bases with a three run double. Three batters later with the bases loaded once again Clayton Basgall cleared the bases with a three RBI triple.
The Eagles score eight runs in the third inning and added one more in the fourth on their way to a 14-0 win. Basgall was two-for-four with three RBIs, Legleiter finished one-for-three with three RBIs and Jarrett Sanders finished two-for-three with two RBIs.
Josh Heifner improved to 7-0 on the summer with four shutout innings.
Hays Monarchs Go 1-1. The Hays Monarchs split their first two Senior Division games Friday, The Monarchs lost 11-3 in five innings to Great Bend in their opener then came back to knock off North Platte, Neb. 8-3.
The Monarchs play the Kansas Crush at 3:45pm Saturday at Larks Park then close out pool play against Fort Morgan, Colo. at 8:15pm at the Hays High field.
