Larks in season opener

By NICK McQUEEN

Hays Daily News

With the way the community stepped up for the Hays Larks in their time of need, the 2007 version of the local summer-collegiate baseball team shows its appreciation by just taking the field for tonight’s season opener.

The schedule starts today with a 6 p.m. nonleague doubleheader against Denver at Larks Park.

“Its been a long offseason with a lot of hard work by a lot of people to make this thing happen.,” said 27th-year Larks manager Frank Leo. “Instead of concentrating on the game itself, we had to concentrate on getting the game here. It’s an offseason we don’t want to have to go through everywhere.”

With a renovated Larks Diamond Club and newly formed booster club, the program set in motion for what is hoped to be to be a stable funding mechanism to keep the baseball tradition alive as Hays starts its title defense this season of the Jayhawk League crown.

The Larks, who finished last season 40-16 and fourth place in the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, have won five out of the last six Jayhawk League titles. They will do it, just like most years, with mostly new players. Only two faces off last year’s powerful offensive club return: Fort Hays State University infielder Dusty Washburn and Slippery Rock (Pa.) sophomore outfielder Rich Michalek, who joined the team in mid-July last season. The rest of the club is new to the Larks.

“We have a lot of new faces so it will be a fresh look. Last year was probably one of the better offensive clubs we’ve had,” Leo said. “Every year, each club is a little bit different.”

This club looks to be skilled on the base paths, with some running ability. Last year’s team was powerful at the plate and wowed the fans at the World Series, a showcase of the best in summer-collegiate baseball.

“This year, we are going to have a lot of people that can run,” Leo said. “Our stolen base production will be up and we will be able to put pressure on teams in the running game.”

The Jayhawk League expanded this season with the addition of the Dodge City A’s, extending the Jayhawk League to seven teams. The Larks will play a 48-game league schedule with four home and four away games with each team. League play begins Friday with a road trip to Joplin, Mo., for four games against the Southwest Slashers.

“Jayhawk League is a grind. We play a 48-game league schedule,” Leo said. “There won’t be very many off days. You have to have pitching depth. We’ll have six starters most of the season.

“We have some experienced guys on the staff and we have some young arms.,” Leo added.

The Larks have 11 pitchers, some with local ties. Fort Hays seniors Bobby Lewton and Justin Randa will provide experience on the mound, along with Emporia State University junior Brock Nehls, a Hays High School graduate and Barton County Community College transfer. Kansas State University junior Brad Hutt will also be available near the end of June, which could prove beneficial as the league race usually comes down to the wire.

“There are two important times. You have to get off to a good start. And, then it’s all about how you play in July,” Leo said. “Things are normally a little warmer in July, so hopefully being at home will be an advantage for us.”

The June schedule only has the Larks at home for one full league series, but in the July stretch run, the Larks are at home for 17 games.

In years past, it’s been mid-June or later before the Larks were able to field their entire roster, piecing together a team from area junior colleges for non-league contests. This year that won’t be the case as Hays will be near full force for the opener.

“This will be the first time in a long time that we will have almost everyone intact right from the get-go, including nonleague games (today),” Leo said. “We should be very strong right from the start. That could be key to defend the league title.”

Sports reporter Nick McQueen can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 128 or by e-mail at

nmcqueen@dailynews.net.