Larks still alive at tournament

By NICK McQUEEN

Hays Daily News

WICHITA — The only relief Hays Larks starter Brad Hutt needed was spending as long as he could in the dugout in Wednesday afternoon’s elimination game at the 73rd annual National Baseball Congress World Series.

Despite the boiling conditions on the artificial infield turf at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on a blistering 100-degree day, Hutt tossed a complete-game shutout against the perennially powerful Seattle Studs, winning 4-0 to keep the Larks alive.

“We got into a rhythm and just the flow of the game went really well,” said Hutt, a senior this year at Kansas State University. “Mark Rockey did a great job of calling pitches. Being on the same page is real important on a hot day like today.”

Hutt (4-1) gave up just three hits, with five strikeouts, and retired eight straight batters in the middle innings. It was Hutt’s third complete game of the summer, but his first shutout. It was his second start and win at the NBC.

“That’s a tremendous outing. We were playing the Seattle Studs, but that was a Hays Larks stud right there,” Hays manager Frank Leo said. “Nothing bothers him. He keeps attacking and doesn’t give you much of the plate to hit. That’s a veteran club that knows how to hit. I’ve seen the Seattle club in this tournament many years.”

The win sets up another scorcher today. The Larks tangle with in-state foe Junction City, which eliminated the Maxim (Calif.) Yankees 6-4 in earlier action Wednesday. Gary Pierpont (5-2) was the probable starter for Hays (37-18) for the second time in the NBC tourney in a 5 p.m. matchup.

The only run Hays would need against Seattle was pushed across in the fourth inning when shortstop Mike Brownstein led off with a base hit to right field, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rich Michalek and scored on an RBI double by Ricky Angel, his seventh run driven in at the season finale.

“We’re a long ways away, but he’s been hot for us,“ Leo said of Angel. “He’s our sparkplug, we need to get to Ricky right now.”

Hutt gave up two Seattle hits in the second inning, but kept the Studs’ hot bats at bay, holding them without a hit until the seventh inning, and not letting the heat wear him down. The mercury read 100 degrees, but the artificial turf on the field is traditionally around 10 to 15 degrees hotter.

“Anytime you can stay alive in this tournament and live to play another day, that’s huge,” Hutt said. “It’s more or less a mental thing. Our trainer did a great job of keeping us cool in the dugout.”

While Hutt did the work on the mound, the Larks put together a solid sixth inning to extend the lead. Brownstein again led off the inning with a single and stole second. It was the 16th time a Lark has stolen a base in the tournament. He scored on a double by Dusty Washburn and Angel came around to score as well on an RBI single by Eric Morrison.

Brownstein was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, while Angel and Morrison each collected two hits. Michalek, Angel, Morrison and Dusty Washburn all drove in runs.

“That’s the way they’ve been all summer. As long as I keep putting up zeroes, I know those guys are going to come through,” Hutt said.

Hays tacked on one more run in the ninth when Michalek was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Seattle threatened in the eighth, but an unassisted double play by Larks second baseman Tyler Barnett ended the inning. Seattle’s Anthony Slagle went outside the baseline to slide into second, and was called for interference on Barnett’s attempt to turn the double play.

“You have to respect every opponent. You don’t get this far in the tournament without playing good baseball,” Leo said.

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

nmcqueen@dailynews.net.