Larks sweep series with rival Bee Jays
June 29, 2003
By NICHOLAS McQUEEN
Hays Daily News
After an hour-plus rain delay Saturday night, the Hays Larks summer-collegiate baseball team extended its winning streak to 12 games.
The Larks, now 17-2 overall and 11-2 in the Jayhawk League, did it with a 5-0 win over league rival Liberal at Larks Park.
Hays will look to extend its win streak to 13 games with a non-league game against Great Bend tonight at 7 p.m. at Larks Park.
Against Liberal, Chris Ofat — who was the starting pitcher in a loss to Liberal earlier this month — picked up a win, pitching a complete game. Ofat (3-0) gave up three hits, walked one and struck out three while throwing 89 pitches.
Hays manager Frank Leo said Ofat wasn’t about to let Liberal get the one up on him again.
“Chris had to go through the same thing down in Liberal,” Leo said. “We played through some bad lightning, and unfortunately they came back to beat us. He wasn’t about to let this thing slip.”
After the delay, Ofat retired 12 straight batters to notch the win.
The Larks got things started early in the game and would have had enough to win it, had the game been called on account of weather. Shortstop Dan Schwartzbauer, who reached on a walk, scored the first run after two stolen bases and a wild pitch. From there, the Larks scored one more run in the first and one in the second to build a 3-0 lead before lightning moved into the area, forcing a delay.
“Dan set the tone for us, and the guys followed suit,” Leo said of Schwartzbauer, who had three stolen bases for the game. “That was a good showing of leadership on his part.”
Left fielder Craig Cooper went 2-for-4 with an RBI and double for the game for Hays, which finished with six stolen bases.
Marcus Simpson (1-2) took the loss for the Bee Jays (9-9, 5-9), giving up seven hits and five walks in 5 innings.
It was the Larks’ second straight series sweep of a league opponent. Hays swept a three-game series from the Nevada (Mo.) Griffons last weekend at Larks Park.
Hays has not lost on its home field this summer.
— On the Net:
larks.hdnews.net