HAYS — Larned High School split a baseball doublheader with Thomas More Prep, losing the opener 2-0 and winning the nightcap 5-3 Tuesday.
In the opener, Jordan Gottschalk singled home Ricky Hockett and Grant Romme scored on an error. Kameron Schmidt struck out eight batters and yielded six hits.
In the second game, Larned’s Easton Palmer threw six shutout innings. TMP’s Cameron Brin yielded one earned run as the Monarchs’ defense committed five errors.
Larned’s Isiah Perez singled home Landon Erway in the first after an error and stolen base. Larned scored three unearned runs in the sixth inning.
In the seventh, TMP’s Liam Stults’ triple scored Justin Pfeifer. Romme’s double drove in two runs to slice the lead to 5-3. Braiden Werth’s single advanced Romme to third. But Palmer retired Ryan Schippers on a pop fly to end the game.
Larned (11-3) will compete in a Class 4A-Division II home baseball regional May 19 with Russell (12-4), Hoisington (11-5) and Pratt (7-7). Larned plays at Lakin Thursday, Nickerson at home May 13 and Great Bend at home May 15.
Remaining games are scheduled for Russell (Friday, at SE of Saline; May 12, at TMP); Hoisington (Friday, Sedgwick); Pratt (Friday, Haven; May 13, at Kingman; and May 16, Ulysses).