Larks in key home stand

By RANDY GONZALES

Hays Daily News

Hays Larks manager Frank Leo is counting on pitching, defense and timely hitting to carry his club in the franchise’s busiest stretch of any summer he can remember.

The Larks open a 15-game Jayhawk League home stand in 10 days (one of those an off day) today with a 6 p.m. doubleheader against Joplin, Mo., at Larks Park. The schedule originally had the Larks playing 12 games that span. However, rainouts earlier in the summer have loaded up the schedule.

Making this home stand even more important, Hays (22-10 overall, 17-9 Jayhawk) is four games behind league leader Derby entering tonight’s action. After the home stand, the Larks will have just three league games left as they attempt to defend their league title. Hays has won the last two Jayhawk crowns, and five of the last six.

“We talk about the next game being the most important game” with the players, Leo said. “From a coaching standpoint, you’ve got to look at the big picture.”

Leo will go with an eight-man rotation during the home stand, pulling pitchers out of the bullpen to make spot starts. With the bullpen shorthanded, it will be important for the starters to pitch deep into the game, Leo said.

“Thing going to be key the whole stretch, starters going into the fifth, sixth innings in seven-inning ball games, in the seventh, eighth inning in nine-inning games,” Leo said.

Right-handers Brock Nehls (4-0) and Bobby Lewton (4-0) are the probable starters tonight, with right-hander Jarrad Watkins (0-1) and left-hander Mark Tanner (1-1) coming out of the bullpen to start on Saturday.

The bullpen has been solid for Hays, with right-hander A.J. Dunn and left-hander Eric Rose sharing the closer’s role. Dunn has four saves and a 3.38 ERA, while Rose has three saves and a 2.45 ERA, second-best on the team behind Nehls (1.99).

“Pitching has been good, cut down on walks,” Leo said of his staff, which has a team earned-run average of 3.69. “Defense has been outstanding, too; that helps pitchers a lot.”

Hays has made 35 errors compared to 55 for the Larks’ opponents. The team has a solid double-play combo in shortstop Mike Brownstein and second baseman Tyler Barnett.

The outfielders have made several diving catches to save runs, and when the Larks were short a catcher due to an injury, Clayton Karst moved behind the plate to give the team a boost.

Perhaps the key for the club down the stretch is its hitting. The Larks have a team batting average of .261 entering the weekend, with some regulars struggling to stay above the Mendoza line (.200 batting average).

First baseman-DH Ricky Angel has picked up his average in recent games to stand at .235 on the season, with one homer and 17 RBIs. First baseman Dusty Washburn hit a grand slam in a big win over Liberal on the road last weekend, but for the season is batting .211 with two homers and 24 RBIs (both team highs).

Third baseman Kyle Carney is hitting .208 and outfielder Sean Finley is batting .174 for the Larks.

But Leo is looking at more than batting averages.

“They’ve had productive at-bats,” Leo said, mentioning players moving runners over, sacrificing runners. “Batting average is deceptive. I look at productive at-bats.”

Leo added the players aren’t concerned about statistics.

“They’re concerned about winning,” he said.

Leo said before the season the club wouldn’t have much power, but did have a lot of team speed.

“That’s still our offensive philosophy,” Leo said. “Get guys on base, move them over.”

The Larks have three speedsters at the top of the order in Barnett, Brownstein and Rich Michalek, who can play both the infield and outfield.

Michalek is second on the team in hitting at .347, and has 15 RBIs. He has 25 stolen bases in 27 attempts. Barnett is hitting .288 with one homer and 16 RBIs and has 25 steals in 30 attempts. Brownstein is hitting .252 with 16 RBIs and has 20 stolen bases in 24 attempts.

Center fielder Eric Morrison has batted in the middle of the order in recent games and leads the team in hitting at .365 with six RBIs. He is 13-of-17 in stolen bases.

“If we turn up the offense, we’ll be a very good ball club,” Leo said. “Now, we’re a good ball club.”

Derby has already qualified for next month’s National Baseball Congress World Series by virtue of its finish at last year’s season finale. The top two teams in the Jayhawk League receive automatic invitations, but if Derby finishes in the top two, then the top three teams will receive automatic bids for the trip to Wichita.

That’s what makes this home stand so important for the Larks, who have finished in the top 10 at the World Series 11 times under Leo. The Larks are 11-6 on the road this summer, 11-4 at home.

“We’ve been playing good on the road,” Leo said, “but it’s nice to be home.”

Sports editor Randy Gonzales can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 130, or by e-mail at

rgonzales@dailynews.net.