Mercy rules in Larks' 14-0 win
July 10, 2003
By RANDY GONZALES
Hays Daily News
The Hays Larks bludgeoned the Elkhart Dusters 14-0 at Larks Park Wednesday night.
It could have been worse.
Craig Cooper homered and drove in six runs and Ryan LaMotta pitched a one-hitter in a Jayhawk League game shortened to seven innings.
There is no formal run-rule in the league, but both managers agreed to cut the game short. Hays manager Frank Leo, a veteran of 22 years in the league, couldn’t remember the last time one of his clubs was part of a run-rule Jayhawk game.
By not going another two innings, both teams saved pitchers for doubleheaders tonight and Saturday. Elkhart is at Topeka, while league leader Hays travels to second-place El Dorado. Elkhart also plays a single game Friday at Topeka before heading back to Hays Saturday for a doubleheader with the Larks.
Hays (26-4 overall, 17-3 Jayhawk) increased its lead to 41ž2 games in the league race over El Dorado, which had its game with Liberal Wednesday rained out.
Elkhart (11-14, 5-10) went through three pitchers Wednesday, including one who just joined the club earlier in the day. LaMotta went the distance, but if he were to have tired in the final, scheduled two innings, the Larks would have had to go to their bullpen, which is short on middle relievers due to three season-ending injuries, announced earlier in the week.
“You lose three guys in middle relief, starters need to go longer,” Leo said.
LaMotta did his part, striking out nine and walking four in seven innings. The one hit he allowed was a weak dribbler down the third-base line by Ryan Lilly to lead off the fourth.
The Larks right-hander was philosophical about the soft single he allowed.
“That’s how it goes ...,” LaMotta said. “There are games guys are hitting shots and the outfielders are running them down.”
LaMotta mixed in his fastball with a sharp-breaking curve the Dusters could only look at in a masterful performance. On seven of his strikeouts, he caught the Dusters looking.
“He really carved them up tonight,” Leo said. “... He’s coming on. He’s starting to do what we saw this spring at Baylor.
“If he can continue to do that ... it will set us up for the postseason.”
The strong outing by LaMotta solidifies a solid starting rotation, led by veteran left-hander Tom Hottovy (4-0), who goes in Game 1 tonight against the Broncos. If right-hander Andy Pape (3-0), who pitched four shutout innings before tiring in his last start, can turn in a solid effort in Game 2, the Larks could be five deep in the rotation for the playoffs.
Hays also can throw out there right-handers Chris Ofat (3-0) and Landon Harper (5-0) for a key game.
Elkhart left-hander Derek Button, who had been pitching well for the Dusters, didn’t have it Wednesday. Button (1-3) surrendered nine runs on eight hits in 42ž3 innings.
Hays led 1-0 on Mark Lyons’ RBI single in the second before using a five-run third to take control. Three Elkhart errors helped prolong the inning, which had two runs score when Larks batters were hit by pitches with the bases loaded, and another run scored on a bases-loaded walk.
Cooper had a sacrifice fly in the third and slapped a two-run single in the sixth.
He also belted a three-run homer, his third of the season, over the wall in right-center in Hays’ four-run fifth.
Cooper was guessing curveball, and got it.
“I was just trying to hit something to right field,” said the Larks left fielder, whose 30 RBIs on the season are second on the club. “I got my pitches to hit (Wednesday). Guys were in scoring position almost every at-bat.”
Leo is downplaying tonight’s league showdown with El Dorado. He believes the secret to the Larks’ success is the old cliche of taking it one game at a time during a long season. Don’t get too high after a win or too low after a loss.
“It’s another game,” he said. “Depending on the pitching matchup, anybody can beat anybody.”zGAME NOTES — Aaron Batlle went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 15 games for Hays. ... Angry glares were exchanged between Larks second baseman Pete Maropis and Dusters pitcher Ramond Barrega in the fifth after Barrega hit Maropis with a pitch after his two previous pitches were high and tight. Barrega gestured and said something to Maropis standing on first base after being taken out of the game after he hit the Larks batter. .... The Larks improved to 15-0 at home and 9-0 vs. left-handers. ... The Larks are on a four-game winning streak and have won eight of their last nine. ... Hays third baseman Ben Tinius, who was hitting .243 going into the game, singled and doubled and drove in three runs. ... Of Hays’ 12 hits, 10 were singles.