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Game
1 - July 30, 2002
Hays 12, Springfield (Mo.) Slashers 5
Hays Larks (36-11) 510 212 010 — 12 10 2
Springfield (Mo.) Slashers (22-10) 201 000 002 — 5 12 6
To. Hottovy, Ju. Shelton (7), Harper (9) and Cox; Herman,
Rust (5), Denning (6), Bowler (7), Hughes (9) and Davidson, Nasby (3).
W — To. Hottovy (6-0). L — Herman. 2B — Thornton, Moeller
2, Curtis, Hays; Whitt, Shields, Springfield. 3B — Dreher, Hays.
The Larks hit the ground running in the opening game of the World Series,
building a 5-2 lead after the first inning.
Hays added another run in the second inning, then tacked on six more runs
the rest of the game to win easily.
Left-hander Tommy Hottovy kept up his regular-season form on the mound.
Hottovy, who hadn’t pitched since July 16, allowed three earned runs
on nine hits in six innings to remain undefeated. He walked one and struck
out eight.
The Larks also did damage on the base paths, going 10-for-11 on stolen
base attempts to keep the Slashers’ catcher guessing.
Lee Curtis went 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI
Game 2 - August 1, 2002
Nevada (Mo.) Griffons 2, Hays 0
Hays Larks (36-12) 000 000 000 — 0 7 0
Nevada (Mo.) Griffons (28-20) 000 000 20x — 2 6 1
Popp, Jo. Shelton (7) and Cox; Rodrigue, Gray (8) and Piazza.
W — Rodrigue (3-0). L — Popp (3-1). Sv — Gray. 2B —
Jacques, Piazza, Hernandez, Goodwin, Nevada.
It was an interesting matchup heading into the Larks’ second game
of the World Series. The two Jayhawk League teams had split a pair of
three-game series earlier in the season, with Hays winning all three game
at Larks Park and the Griffons winning all three games on their home field.
But the neutral site wasn’t kind to the Larks as the game came down
to a matter of inches.
Hays out-hit the Griffons 7-6, but five of Nevada’s hits were just
inside the foul lines. Four of those went for extra bases as the Larks
dropped into the consolation bracket of the tourney.
Hays stranded nine runners on base in the game, including six in scoring
position. The simple fact was the key hit never came for the Larks.
Hays starter Jim Popp did his best to keep the Larks in it. Popp, who
had pitched only 122/3 innings this summer while battling through a shoulder
injury, had his no-hitter snapped in the bottom of the fifth when Nevada’s
Clay Goodwin hit a two-out double just inside the line in deep right field.
But Popp got out of the jam with a strikeout in the next at-bat.
After Nevada got a bunt single in the sixth with one out. Popp got out
of the inning with a double play.
Then the Griffons took advantage of the foul lines in the seventh as they
broke the scoreless drought.
Shawn Jacques hit a line drive double down the right field line, just
out of the reach of a diving Ehlers at first base. Then Tony Piazza hit
a one-out double down the left-field line, scoring Jacques from second.
Popp was relieved by Josh Shelton, but that didn’t stop Nevada.
Jeremy Hernandez doubled just out of the reach of Ehlers again down the
right field line in the next at-bat, allowing Piazza to score the second
run.
It was all the Griffons would need.
Popp (3-1) allowed the two runs on four hits in 61/3 innings. He struck
out three and walked one.
Paul Witt went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Hays, which went 1-for-2 on
stolen base attempts.
Game 3- August 4, 2002
Hays 13, Greenwood (Miss.) Vikings 2
(7 innings)
Hays Larks (37-12) 311 321 2 -— 13 17 1
Greenwood (Miss.) Vikings (24-10) 000 020 0 — 2 8 3
Wendte, Doering (6), Woody (7) and Cox; Liberto, Willis
(5) and Patridge. W - Wendte (4-1). L - Liberto (6-2). 2B - Witt 2, Curtis,
Bartosch 2, Hays; Farese, Greenwood.
In the sweltering Sunday afternoon heat, the Larks bounced back with authority.
Hays took a 3-0 lead after the first inning, then tacked on single runs
in the second and third to build a 5-0 lead.
Eight more runs over the next four innings helped the team end the game
early by run-rule.
The Hays bats were as hot as the afternoon temperatures. The Larks finished
with 17 hits, including five doubles.
Craig Bartosch, who got the start in left field after being on the bench
the first two games of the tournament, went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and
a run scored.
Paul Witt, Lee Curtis and Brian Moeller went a combined 7-for-12 in the
third, fourth and fifth spots in the lineup.
Starter Travis Wendte got the victory on the mound.
Game 4- August 6, 2002
Hays 10, Rock City (N.C.) Red Sox 2
Rock City (N.C.) Red Sox (28-2) 000 100 100 — 2 6 1
Hays Larks (38-12) 021 331 00x — 10 11 1
Smith, Brumfield (4), Adams (4), Nelson (7) and Hutcherson;
To. Hottovy, Jones (9) and Cox, Dreher (9). W — To. Hottovy (7-0).
L — Smith. 2B — Clayton, Watkins, Rock City; Curtis, Schwartzbauer,
Hays. HR — Julo (4).
The Larks were looking for a good performance out of its starter. And
Tommy Hottovy delivered in his second start in the World Series.
Hays scored two runs in the second inning, then tacked on another run
in the third to take a 3-0 lead. It would be all Hottovy would need.
Hottovy allowed two runs — one earned — on six hits with two
walks and eight strikeouts in eight innings. Rock City’s first three
batters in the lineup were a combined 19-for-46 (.413) in the tourney
entering the game. But Hottovy, who finished with 16 strikeouts in the
World Series, forced that trio to go 0-for-10 in the game.
The Hays bats were hot again, banging out 11 hits. The Larks blew the
game open with three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to build
a 9-1 cushion on the way to the rout.
Paul Witt went 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI, and
Lee Curtis went 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and three RBIs.
Chris Julo hit a towering home run that nearly cleared the scoreboard
in left-center field. The ball hit off the Pepsi sign atop the scoreboard,
just inches from clearing everything. Julo went 3-for-4 at the plate with
a sacrifice fly, two RBIs and two runs scored. He was just 1-for-6 at
the plate in the World Series entering the contest.
The Larks continued to run the base paths well, finishing 8-for-9 on stolen
base attempts.
Game 5- August 7, 2002
Prairie Gravel (Ill.) 6, Hays 4
Hays Larks (38-13) 111 010 000 — 4 7 2
Prairie Gravel, Ill. (37-5) 102 102 00x — 6 11 1
Doering, Kalita (5), Jo. Shelton (6), Woody (8) and Cox;
Knollin, Klus (8) and Imrisek. W — Knollin. L — Kalita (1-2).
Sv — Klus. 2B — Schwartzbauer, Hays. 3B — Bartosch, Hays.
HR — Julo (5), Hays; Correa, Prairie Gravel.
Prairie Gravel was the obstacle, and the Larks had trouble clearing it.
The two teams battled to a 3-3 tie after the third inning and a 4-4 tie
after the fifth. But Prairie Gravel scored two go-ahead runs in the bottom
of the sixth to end the Larks’ season.
Every time the Larks would try to gain the advantage, Prairie Gravel would
find some way to answer right back to stay alive.
Rory Thornton went 2-for-5 at the plate and was the only Hays player to
finish with multiple hits. Prairie Gravel out-hit the Larks, 11-7.
Ryan Kalita, who took the loss, allowed two earned runs on three hits
while walking two and striking out one. Kalita relieved starter Brad Doering,
who joined the club before the World Series started, in the fifth inning.
Lee Curtis, who went 1-for-4 at the plate, finished the year on a 10-game
hitting streak, and Brian Moeller went 1-for-4 also to extend his hitting
streak to 10 games. Paul Witt failed to get a hit in the game and had
his streak snapped at eight games. He stole one base in the contest, giving
him 11 for the tournament, three shy of the World Series record.
Prairie Gravel took advantage of its experience from past tournaments
and had seven players age 27 or older. Its oldest player was 37 years
old. Hays’ oldest players were Moeller and Dusty Dreher, who were
both 22 at the time.
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