Larks battle back to win

By MIKE KESSINGER

Hays Daily News

No lead is safe in baseball.

The Hays Larks proved that Saturday night.

Down 9-0 after five innings, the Larks rallied for a 10-9 win over the Wichita Dawgs in nonleague action at Larks Park.

With the winning run on third base and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, pinch-hitter J.C. Field slapped a single into right field to score Kevin Russo.

“It was like we climbed Mount Everest,” Larks manager Frank Leo said. “They just kept creeping back into it, and I could see there was a lot of excitement building in that last inning.”

The Dawgs led 5-0 after three innings. In the fourth inning, Wichita added four more runs to build its big lead.

The Larks got five hits in the first five innings, then started the sixth with two baserunners before the Wichita starter was replaced by Brad Surrell. Hays ended the sixth with three runs on the board as Warren Schaeffer scored on a single and Russo singled in two more.

An inning later, the Larks scored four runs off Surrell to make it 9-7.

Seth Fortenberry relieved Stephen Marek in the eighth after Marek didn't allow a run in four innings of work.

Wichita walked Fortenberry to start the ninth, and Fortenberry and Schaeffer — who walked — later scored on wild pitches. Then with Russo standing on third, Field got the hit to bring him home for the win.

Fortenberry (1-0) got the victory, pitching two scoreless innings.

Sports writer Mike Kessinger can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 130, or by e-mail at sports@dailynews.net.