Larks bounce back, split DH
July 13, 2003
By NICK SCHWIEN
Hays Daily News
If you fall off the horse, get right back on.
That's what the Hays Larks did Saturday night at Larks Park.
After suffering a 15-2 drubbing in the opening game of a Jayhawk League doubleheader against the Elkhart Dusters, Hays' summer-collegiate baseball team rebounded with a 5-0 shutout -- thanks to the pitching of starter Chris Ofat and some solid defense behind him.
"The first game is big," said Jeff Bieker, who hit a pair of home runs in the doubleheader. "But if you get beat, that second game is always big for confidence. Putting up a win like that going into our next game gives us a little bit of confidence."
Bieker gave the Larks a 1-0 lead with a leadoff home run to right-center field in the bottom of the second of Game 2.
Adam Cox and Mark Lyons both reached on errors after Bieker's blast to keep things rolling. Dan Schwartzbauer drove in Cox with a one-out single to right, and Pete Maropis gave Hays a 3-0 with a sacrifice fly.
That was all Ofat would need. The right-hander retired seven in a row at one point to improve to 4-0 this summer. Ofat allowed four hits in the complete-game outing, with six strikeouts and one walk.
Ofat was also aided by a pair of sharply turned double plays by second baseman Maropis and shortstop Schwartzbauer and the play of left fielder Craig Cooper, who made one diving catch in the seventh and ran down another ball earlier in the game that was seemingly going to drop in for extra bases.
"Chris Ofat and our defense did the job," Hays manager Frank Leo said. "Our defense was outstanding in the second game. We made some big double plays. ... I think that was big. Chris made the pitches and threw strikes and was working fast. The defense is more apt to make those plays when your pitchers are throwing strikes. ..."
Aaron Batlle -- who has hit safely in 17 of the last 19 games after Saturday -- reached on a double to start the sixth and eventually scored on a wild pitch with two outs. Cooper, who walked, later came around to score on a groundout by Mark Lyons.
Hays (28-6 overall, 19-5 Jayhawk) managed only three hits in the game and seven total in the doubleheader.
"We bunched it together when we did it and were able to capitalize," Leo said about the offense in Game 2. "We've been a good offensive team all summer long, but we've kind of hit a little flat spot right now. We need to get the bat speed going and pick up the offensive end of the game."
But the opener didn't have much hitting by the Larks, who remained atop the league standings ahead of second-place El Dorado despite the split.
Elkhart (12-18, 6-14) used a bit of luck in the fourth inning of Game 1 when Brian Canada struck out swinging for the final out of the inning with a runner at first. But Landon Harper's pitch was in the dirt and got away from Hays catcher Jerod Goodale, allowing Brian Canada to reach first on the wild pitch and keep the inning alive.
A single loaded the bases before Brad Canada took a 2-0 pitch to deep center field for a double to drive in two runs. The Larks nabbed the runner at first trying to score to end the inning, but Elkhart had a 2-0 lead.
The Dusters tacked on two more runs in the fifth when Mike Sullivan singled to lead off the inning and scored when Chris Williams planted the first pitch he saw from Harper over the right field wall for a two-run homer and a 4-0 Elkhart lead.
Hays finally got to Elkhart starter Joe Ness in the bottom of the fifth. Ness carried a no-hitter into the inning before Bieker took a 1-2 pitch just over the wall in the right-field corner with one out, pulling Hays within 4-1.
After Ness walked the next two batters, Elkhart got out of the jam when Schwartzbauer grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Michael Gardner relieved Harper to start the sixth and didn't fare any better, allowing seven of the Dusters' nine runs in the inning -- including a two-run homer by Brad Canada and a grand slam by Josh Asanovich -- as Elkhart took a 13-1 lead to cruise to the win -- the Larks' first loss at home this summer.
"They found a weakness in our bullpen," Leo said. "We knew our starters had to take us deep. ... They exposed a weakness that we have right now, and they took advantage of it. We were just pretty flat."
Elkhart had lost four in a row entering the game, including a 14-0 shellacking in seven innings by the Larks Wednesday.
Harper (5-1) allowed four runs on six hits in five innings, with nine strikeouts and four walks.
Brad Canada finished 3-for-4 at the plate for Elkhart with a two-run homer and a three-run homer, a double, two runs scored and seven RBIs. He had four RBIs for the summer entering the game.
Ness (3-1) allowed only two hits in six innings, with five walks and three strikeouts. Reliever Grant Birely allowed a run in the seventh.
Bieker went 2-for-3 with the home run, an RBI and two runs scored, and Jerod Goodale added an RBI.
Hays will host the Topeka Capitals for a single league game at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Ryan LaMotta (4-0) is the probable starter.
Montana Mike's is Monday's sponsor, and one fan will have a chance to throw three strikes through a net to win steak dinners for a year. A steak dinner will be awarded for each strike thrown if three consecutive aren't thrown.