HAYS – Bat Cats coach Roger Ward, a former University of Kentucky shortstop, made the night’s best play when he snared a bouncing foul ball.
It was that kind of night for the Great Bend Bat Cats, who lost 8-0 Friday to the Hays Larks. The Bat Cats beat the Larks 5-3 Thursday at the Great Bend Sports Complex.
Great Bend stranded nine baserunners and batted zero for nine with runners in scoring position. A collection of six Larks pitchers struck out 14 batters. The Bat Cats struck out six times with runners in scoring position. Hunter Gotreaux and Bodi Waller singled for the Bat Cats' two hits.
Great Bend’s batters delivered two hard-hit balls with runners in scoring position. Hunter Gotreaux’s hard-hit fly ball was caught by left fielder Dylan Dreiling at the wall in the second inning. Alex Rodgers’ line-drive was snared by shortstop Austen Jaslove in the seventh inning.
The Larks started on fire with a 3-run first inning against starter J.C. Gonzalez. Tyler LaRue and Brady Evans delivered RBI singles and LaRue scored on a throwing error. Brady Evans singled home Jack Torosian in the third inning for a 4-0 lead.
Bat Cats reliever Brayden Tower nearly worked three scoreless innings.
But a potential eighth-inning double play fly ball went awry when first baseman Wallar was unable to secure a throw from right fielder JoJo Nieves. Baserunner Jack Torosian eventually scored on a wild pitch.
In the same inning, Larks hitter Dylan Dreiling received a break when a checked swing was ruled no swing. Dreiling drilled a 3-run homer to drive home Evans and Jackson Halter for an 8-0 lead.
Great Bend 000 000 000 – 0 2 1
Hays Larks 301 000 04x – 8 8 1
Gonzalez, Tower (6) and Fahrlander. Meredith, Walton (3), Brown (5), Hare (6), Marshall (8), Echavarria (9) and Halter. W—Walton, 1-0. L—Gonzalez, 0-1. 2B—H—Halter. HR—H—Dreiling.
