Larks finish sweep of Griffons
July 3, 2003
By RANDY GONZALES
Hays Daily News
NEVADA, Mo. — Frank Leo was impressed.
His Hays Larks completed a series sweep of the Nevada (Mo.) Griffons Wednesday night, taking a 3-1 win.
The Larks took three straight against the Griffons after dropping a game at El Dorado Monday, the first day of a seven-game road trip. That loss snapped a 13-game winning streak for Hays, but the Larks have bounced back to win three in a row heading into today’s nonleague game at the Kansas City Sluggers.
“Really impressive to sweep three here,” Leo said. “It’s a tough place to play.
Hays extended its lead in the Jayhawk League standings. The Larks are now 21-3 overall and 14-3 in the Jayhawk. El Dorado is second, 10-5 in the league.
The Larks broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the seventh. Mark Lyons was hit by a pitch from reliever Chris Reed, advanced to second on a sacrifice and took third on Craig Cooper’s single. Cody Ehlers singled to score Lyons with the go-ahead run, and Cooper also scored when he raced home after Ehlers was caught in a rundown between first and second.
After Nevada (18-9 overall, 8-8 Jayhawk) scored a run in the second, Hays tied the game in the third on Cooper’s RBI single.
Larks starter Tommy Hottovy worked 72/3 innings to pick up the victory. Hottovy (4-0) allowed one run on six hits, with two walks and two strikeouts.
Chris Ofat got the final four outs for his second save.
Reed took the loss for Nevada.