Broncos busted: Larks sweep El Dorado
July 20, 2003
By NICK SCHWIEN
Hays Daily News
Andy Pape wasn't about to dwell on the fact that he just allowed a home run to give the opposition the lead.
Instead, the right-hander for the Hays Larks knew it was time to take care of business.
"Home runs fire me up," Pape said. "I don't like seeing them go deep on me."
He got his message across the rest of the way in Game 1 of a Jayhawk League doubleheader Saturday night against the El Dorado Broncos at Larks Park. Pape settled down after the homer, pitching the Larks to a 9-2 win. Hays won the late game 9-0 to earn a sweep of the Broncos.
"This was only my third start of the year. Every time I go another inning, I get a little better," said Pape, who allowed two runs on six hits in 61/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five while improving to 4-1 this year.
"He's been up against these guys a couple of times and had a tough loss," said Hays manager Frank Leo, who guided the club to its third straight league title this season. " ... He knew what to do."
Pape's lone loss entering the game was a 3-0 setback at El Dorado on July 10.
But this time, Pape got a lot of run support as Hays (34-7 overall, 23-6 Jayhawk) cruised to the victory.
El Dorado (28-17, 14-11) took the lead in the top of the second inning when Drew Moffitt led off with a long home run over the big wall in right-center field, giving the Broncos a 1-0 advantage.
But Hays answered back with four runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Craig Cooper doubled with one out, then stole third. Jeff Bieker's single scored Cooper to knot the game at 1-1.
After a fly ball for the second out of the inning, El Dorado starter Chris Appuhn allowed back-to-back walks, to Seth Fortenberry and Dan Schwartzbauer, to load the bases. Aaron Batlle put the Larks on top, driving in Bieker and Fortenberry with a single to right. Pete Maropis made it 4-1 with a single to center to score Schwartzbauer.
El Dorado pulled within 4-2 with a one-out RBI single by Rusty Jones in the fifth.
But the Larks blew the game open with five runs in the sixth. Mark Lyons tripled to the right-field corner with one out and scored on a wild pitch, pushing the lead to 5-2. Schwartzbauer doubled to right with two outs and came around to score when Ben Tinius singled to left, making it 6-2.
Cody Ehlers added a three-run homer, his ninth of the year, to push the margin to 9-2.
The Broncos tried to rally in their final at-bat. Pape allowed a single -- sandwiched around a pair of walks -- to load the bases with one out before being relieved by Michael Gardner. Gardner got the next two batters to pop up for the final two outs.
"It was a good outing," Pape said. "I just wish I could have finished a bit better. But Mike came in and got the job done.
"I felt a little inconsistent with my off-speed (pitches), but I was just trying to locate my fastball. I was just trying to get people to get themselves out."
Maropis finished the game 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, an RBI and a run scored.
The Larks got a two-hit shutout by Landon Harper in the second game. Harper struck out four and walked three to improve to 6-1, the team's first six-game winner of the year.
Harper retired the first seven batters he faced before allowing a one-out walk in the third. El Dorado got its first hit in the fourth, a one-out single to right by Eric Thornton.
But by that time, the Larks had staked Harper to a comfortable lead. Hays scored four runs in the second and five more in the third.
Fortenberry went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs, and Schwartzbauer went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Jerod Goodale scored a run and drove in two.
Hays split the six-game series with the Broncos this summer, thanks to the two wins Saturday night.
"We talked about (them being a thorn in our side), and we wanted a win here late against them," said Leo, whose team was just 1-3 against the Broncos this year entering the game.
Hays will host the Wichita Highlanders for a 7 p.m. nonleague game today at Larks Park.