Larks stay alive with win

8-9-04

By The Hays Daily News

WICHITA — The Hays Larks live to play another day.

The Larks rallied for an 8-4 win over the Houston Apollos in a losers' bracket elimination game Sunday night at the National Baseball Congress World Series.

Hays (29-14) will play the San Diego Stars tonight at 10 at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in another elimination game.

Houston (19-5), in its first trip to the World Series, scored four runs in the fourth to erase a 3-0 Hays lead at Word of Life Sports Complex.

The Larks regained the lead for good in the fifth on Nolan Reimold's two-run single with two out. Hays added three runs in the seventh when Seth Fortenberry hit a two-run homer and Reimold followed with a solo shot, his second of the night and fourth in three games at the season finale.

After Fortenberry's RBI double in the third, Reimold followed with a two-run shot over the wall in left. Reimold finished the game 3-for-3 with five RBIs.

Left-hander Gilbert DeLaVara picked up the victory in his first start for the Larks. DeLaVara, who pitched for Elkhart this summer, was added to the team for the World Series. DeLaVara (1-0) allowed four runs in 61/3 innings, with 10 strikeouts. Jason Schutt and Matt Rainey combined for 22/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Right-hander Bob Reifschneider (5-2) is the probable starter for tonight's game.