LARNED — Larned’s Junior Legion baseball team (5-5) swept past the Hays Thomas More Prep Monarchs 6-4 and 4-0 in Thursday’s baseball doubleheader. 

LARNED 6, MONARCHS 4 (G1) — Larned pitcher Aidan Smyth struck out eight batters to work a complete game seven-inning outing. 

The Monarchs led 2-0 when Jacob Pfeifer scored on a wild pitch and Jace Wentling scored on a first-inning passed ball. Larned’s Colin LaBouchardiere singled home Aidan Smyth after a single, stolen base and an error. 

Larned’s Carlos Ibarra singled home Kaden Pontius and Gavin Alvarez singled home Ibarra for a 3-2 lead after four innings. Michael Hale singled home Noah Gibson for a 3-3 tie after a walk, stolen base and passed ball.

Pontius singled home Dillan Smith and Jacob Grosfield scored on Ibarra’s fifth-inning sacrifice fly for a 5-3 lead. Monarch Wentling scored on a sixth-inning error for a 5-4 score. Larned’s Aidan Smyth scored a sixth-inning insurance run on an error. 

LARNED 4, MONARCHS 0 (G2) — Larned pitcher Dillan Smith spun a two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts to baffle the Monarchs. Smith picked off Pfeifer at first base in the first inning. He stranded Kade Harris at third base in the second inning. Smith struck out Noah Gibson to strand Tyson Dinkel at third base in the fourth inning. 

Larned converted two hit batters and a walk into a four-run first inning. Smyth scored on a groundout. LaBouchardiere scored on a wild pitch. Logan Erway doubled home Pontius and Ibarra’s single scored Erway for a 4-0 lead.

Hays-TMP 200 011 0 — 4 3 4

Larned 100 221 x — 6 11 1

Helget, Newell (4) and Dinkel. W—Smyth. L—Newell. 2B—L—Ibarra.

Hays-TMP 000 000 0 — 0 2 0

Larned 400 000 x — 4 5 2

Pfeifer, Harris (2) and Wentling. Smith and Cline. W—Smith. L—Pfeifer. 2B—L—Erway.