Larks get easy win at home
July 21, 2003
By MIKE KESSINGER
Hays Daily News
The Hays Larks are making it a habit of ending games early.
A five-run explosion in the third inning was all the Larks needed to get started as they blasted the Wichita Highlanders in nonleague action Sunday at Larks Park, 12-2.
The game went just seven innings, the fifth time this season a scheduled nine-inning game has not went the distance.
Jim Popp (1-0), pitched 52/3 innings to get the win for the Larks, giving up two runs on eight hits. He had a shutout going for five innings, but a Justin Dickson two-run homer ended it in the sixth inning.
“He (Popp) can throw better than that,” Hays manager Frank Leo said. “There are high expectations of Jim. The velocity of his pitches wasn’t what we had hoped it would be, but he got around 80 pitches. He probably held back a little.”
Cody Ehlers continued his march toward smashing the franchise’s record for slugging percentage, hitting his 10th and 11th homers of the season. His slugging percentage is .711, which stands well above Albert Pujols’ .569 in 1999. Ehlers finished 2-for-2 with three RBIs, two runs scored and two home runs.
Justin Trout, a Fort Hays State University pitcher last season, had the Larks’ bats on hold for two innings, not allowing a hit. Trout was replaced by another Tiger in the third inning, Josh Rodriguez, and the Larks’ offense took off.
Shortstop Dan Schwartzbauer started the barrage with a triple, scoring Mark Lyons. Aaron Batlle scored Schwartzbauer on a fielder’s choice, then Ehlers hit a two-run homer, and Jeff Bieker hit an RBI double.
In the fourth inning, the Highlanders’ Ben DiOrio singled, and Josh Kollmeyer doubled. But the Highlanders were unable to score. With two outs, Bieker ran down a fly ball and made a diving catch of a Nick Shay blooper to right field to keep Wichita off the board.
Hays (35-7) added four runs in the fourth off Wichita pitcher Matt Backes. Schwartzbauer slapped a two-run single, catcher Adam Cox scored Schwartzbauer on a fielder’s choice and Ehlers connected for his second homer — a solo shot over the right-field fence.
“They swung the bats well,” Leo said. “After the first couple innings, we really got a lot of hits. Cody had a couple of nice home runs.”
Hays got its final three runs in the fifth inning. Kade Boyer tripled in Ben Tinius, Schwartzbauer hit an RBI single to score Boyer and Cox doubled in Schwartzbauer.
After DiOrio started the sixth with a single for the Highlanders, Popp was able to get two outs before Dickson hit his homer to left field.
Hays will play its final home game today at 7 p.m. against the Wichita Braves at Larks Park.