Teammates duel in league game
Jul. 26, 2007
By RANDY GONZALES
Hays Daily News
In a matchup of former Fort Hays State University pitchers Wednesday night, the Hays Larks’ Bobby Lewton got the best of Tom Goodwin of the Dodge City Athletics.
Hays pounded Dodge City 11-3 in Jayhawk League action at Larks Park. While Lewton might not have had his best stuff, it was more than enough against a shorthanded Dodge City team. The Athletics, with just 14 players left on their roster, dropped to 8-37 on the season.
Lewton (6-1) scattered eight hits in six innings, giving up three runs, with no walks and four strikeouts.
“Bobby was not as sharp as he has been this summer,” Hays manager Frank Leo said. “He pitched six innings; we had pitchers in the bullpen.”
Goodwin didn’t have as much help. The left-hander gave up 11 runs on 14 hits in seven innings, with three walks and one strikeout.
Hays (34-16 overall, 29-15 Jayhawk) got big nights at the plate from Rich Michalek and Dusty Washburn, who both went 4-for-4. Michalek singled twice, doubled and tripled, with three runs scored and an RBI. Washburn singled twice and doubled twice, with three runs scored and two RBIs.
“You don’t need nine guys doing it,” Leo said of his team’s hitting. “Just two, three guys hot, back-to-back.”
The Larks scored a run in the first, but the Athletics got two in the second to take a short-lived lead.
Hays got three in the third and another in the fourth to take a 5-4 lead. Single runs in the fifth and sixth made it 7-4, then Hays got four in the seventh.
Eric Morrison drove in two runs for the Larks, and Tyler Barnett, Ricky Angel, Mike Brownstein and Clayton Karst each had an RBI.
“We took care of business tonight,” Leo said.
Richard Timbrook (3-3) is the probable starter for today’s 7:30 p.m. game at Larks Park. Hays originally was to play Junction City, but the Salina Blue Jays instead will be the opponent. Hays also could play Salina — also a World Series qualifier — Sunday night at Larks Park.
There also is a possibility the Larks could play makeup games against Nevada, Mo., over the weekend in Wichita, if the Griffons still have a chance to finish third in the league standings. With league champion Derby already qualifying for the National Baseball Congress World Series by virtue of its finish last year, the Jayhawk League’s top three teams, instead of top two, receive automatic berths into the season finale.
Hays finished second in the league.
The NBC World Series starts Sunday, but Hays isn’t expected to play until sometime later in the week.
Sports editor Randy Gonzales can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 130, or by e-mail at
rgonzales@dailynews.net.
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