BY JIM MISUNAS
ELLINWOOD – Larned tuned up for two-time Central Kansas League champion Nickerson with a dominating 13-3 and 11-0 sweep over Ellinwood in Friday’s non-league baseball doubleheader.
Larned (4-2, 2-2 CKL) travels to Nickerson (3-1 CKL) Tuesday. Ellinwood (1-3) plays at Ellsworth Tuesday.
LARNED 13, ELLINWOOD 3 (G1) – Tristen Burger drove home five runs and worked 22/3 innings to spark the Indians.
Larned scored five first-inning runs. Layton Pleasant and Brandon Cecineros scored on an error. Burger singled home Logan Erway and Brayden Rupp. Burger scored on an error.
Ryan Niles scored on Kyler Doll’s first-inning groundout. Burger’s second-inning double scored Pleasant and Ceniceros for a 7-1 lead.
Ceniceros singled home Dillan Smith and Gunnar Cline. Erway’s single scored Aidan Smyth for a 10-1 lead in the third inning. Kyler Doll’s single scored Niles for a 10-2 lead after three innings. Brayden Lemuz scored on a bases-loaded fourth inning walk for an 11-2 lead. Niles scored on David Hammek’s fifth-inning groundball for an 11-3 score.
Dillan Smith scored on an error and Ceniceros scored on bases-loaded walk for a 13-3 lead. Ellinwood shortstop Kyler Doll and first baseman Weston Corbett turned Aidan Smyth’s liner into a double play.
LARNED 11, ELLINWOOD 0 (G1) – Mello Bryant drove home four runs with three hits and Jack Stelter had four hits and three RBIs to lead the Indians. Left fielder Aidan Smyth turned a game-ending double play. Catcher Stelter threw out Kyler Doll on an attempted steal.
Christian Murray and Burger combined for a one-hits shutout with Ellinwood’s Luke Wondra hitting a single.
Bryant singled home Ceniceros and Rupp for a 2-0 lead. Bryant singled home Smyth and Smith scored on an error for a 5-0 lead after four innings.
Bryant singled home Rupp to start a three-run fifth inning. Stelter’s single scored Burger and Smyth for an 8-0 lead.
Burger’s single scored Rupp in a three-run sixth frame. Smyth scored on a sacrifice fly. Stelter’s single scored Burger for an 11-0 lead.
Larned 523 102 – 13 8 4
Ellinwood 101 010 – 3 6 3
Pleasant, Burger (4) and Stelter. Hammeke, McFarren (3), Hosman (4) and Niles. W—Pleasant. L—Hammeke. 2B—L—Burger; E—Niles.
Larned 020 243 – 11 15 2
Ellinwood 000 000 – 0 1 3
Murray, Burger (5) and Stelter. Knop, Doll (5) and Niles. W—Murray. L—Knop. 2B—L—Erway.
CKL BASEBALL
Haven 2-0 4-0
Hesston 3-1 5-1
Pratt 3-1 3-1
Nickerson 3-1 3-1
Hoisington 3-1 3-1
Larned 2-2 4-2
Lyons 1-3 1-3
Halstead 1-3 1-3
Hillsboro 0-2 0-2
Smoky Valley 0-4 0-6
TUESDAY—Hesston at Haven; Larned at Nickerson; Hoisington at Pratt; Lyons at Halstead; Hillsboro at Smoky Valley
