Larks suffer first defeat
August 13, 2003
By NICK SCHWIEN
Hays Daily News
WICHITA — Things didn’t completely unravel.
But when you’re locked in a pitcher’s duel, one mistake can mean the difference between a win and a loss.
That’s exactly what happened to the Hays Larks Tuesday night in a 2-1 loss to Prairie Gravel (Ill.) in the 69th annual National Baseball Congress World Series at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
The Larks were clinging to a 1-0 lead when things took an ugly turn in the sixth inning. A pair of hits, an error and a balk led to two runs — and the Larks falling into the loser’s bracket.
“It was an inning you wish you could have back and redo, especially with the balk,” said Hays manager Frank Leo. “It was unfortunate, then we get the tough one-chopper. Talk about luck. They get the turf bounce, and it was a tough play. The run scores and they get a guy on base that ends up being the winning run.”
It was that type of night for the Larks. Hays, one of six teams remaining in the double-elimination tournament, will play an undetermined opponent Thursday. Game time will be decided after tonight’s games.
Hays (43-11) took a 1-0 lead in the third. Pete Maropis reached first on a one-out infield single, and moved to second on Adam Cox’s single. An infield hit off the pitcher’s glove by Dan Schwartzbauer loaded the bases.
Shawn Smarsh followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Maropis.
But Prairie Gravel (48-6) finally got things going in the sixth. Tom Syska doubled to right with one out, then moved to third when Hays starter Ryan LaMotta balked. Syska scored when Mike Serafini reached first on an error by second baseman Maropis.
“It’s the turf here,” Maropis said. “You get those high choppers, and it’s a luck play. You have to pick the right angle, and that time I didn’t.”
LaMotta got a fly ball for the second out before allowing a double by Brian Fritzler to score Serafini with the go-ahead run.
“That sixth inning went awry,” said LaMotta (6-1), who allowed the two runs — one earned — on four hits in eight innings, with one walk and six strikeouts. “I gave up the double, then balked. Then the error and a hit. I tried to keep it within reach so we had a chance. The little things hurt you sometimes. They cost us.”
Hays stranded a runner at second in the seventh, and did the same in the eighth when Maropis was stranded after Schwartzbauer‘s hard shot to right field was caught.
“We’ve been swinging the bats,” said Leo, whose team out-hit Prairie Gravel, 7-4. “I can’t discredit our offense at all. I thought we put the ball in play when we needed to. We hit it hard, but unfortunately it was right at people.”
In the Hays ninth, Cody Ehlers reached on a one-out single and was lifted for pinch-runner Mark Lyons. But Lyons was picked off for the second out, and a grounder by Craig Cooper ended the game.
LaMotta, who held the tourney’s hottest hitting team to only four hits, lost for the first time this summer with Hays, while left-hander Vince Serafini improved to 8-1 for Prairie Gravel — the same team that eliminated the Larks from last year’s World Series. Hays is now 15-2 against left-handers this summer.
Matt Zaleski got the final two outs to earn a save.