Larks to play key game after split

7-12-04

By The Hays Daily News

The Hays Larks didn't lose any ground on league leader El Dorado in Sunday night's doubleheader.

They didn't gain any, either.

Hays and El Dorado split Sunday's games at Larks Park, with the Broncos winning the opener 5-1 and the Larks coming back to take the nightcap, 7-5.

With the split, Hays remains 11/2 games in back of El Dorado in the Jayhawk League standings.

The Larks will send right-hander Jeff Mandel (2-3) to the mound tonight in hopes of getting within a half-game of the Broncos with eight league games left for Hays, which is seeking its fourth straight Jayhawk title.

“If we're going to stay in the chase, we've got to win tonight,” Hays manager Frank Leo said.

After El Dorado's Matt Green tossed a three-hitter to beat the Larks in Sunday's opener, Hays battled back to win the second game.

“That was a big win for us in Game 2, obviously,” Leo said.

In the second game, Hays (18-11 overall, 13-10 Jayhawk) scored three runs in the first. But El Dorado (23-11, 14-8) scored a run in the fourth and three in the top of the fifth to take the lead.

The Larks responded with three runs in the home half of the fifth. Billy Sharp's run-scoring grounder tied the game, and hays took the lead on Hunter Mense's bunt single. Kevin Russo's RBI double gave Hays a 6-4 lead.

El Dorado scored a run off reliever Matt Rainey in the sixth to get within a run, but Stephen Marek picked up his third save of the season by pitching a perfect seventh.

Hays starter Joseph Edens worked five innings for the victory. Edens (3-1) gave up four runs on 10 hits.

In the opener, Green gave up just a run in the fifth, after the Broncos had already taken a 5-0 lead. Seth Fortenberry doubled with one out and stole third, then came home on Warren Schaeffer's groundout.

Green, who struck out 12 Larks in a no-decision against Hays last month, struck out four and walked three.

Josh Blake (1-3) took the loss for Hays, giving up five runs on nine hits in five innings.

Larks Notes

Three former players for the Hays Larks are National League All-Stars. St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols will start for the NL in Tuesday night's game in Houston, with Houston Astros outfielder Lance Berkman and Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson named to the team as reserves. ... Berkman will compete in tonight's Home Run Derby, replacing injured Cincinnati Reds star Ken Griffey Jr.