EARL WATT
• Leader & Times
A rain-shortened game that ended in a loss Tuesday, coupled with a 9-7 loss Wednesday, opened the door for the Hays Larks to pass the Liberal Bee Jays in the final weekend of the Rocky Mountain League season.
Both Hays and Liberal have already received bids to the NBC World Series that starts next week, but the Bee Jays had control of their own destiny heading in to the pair of games with the Larks.
Errors didn’t help in either game for the Bee Jays, while the Larks played perfect defense both nights.
The Larks took an early lead Tuesday with two runs in the first and another in the second for a 3-0 advantage. But the Bee Jays broke through with a five-run third including a grand slam from K. Harrington to take a 5-3 lead. The Larks then responded with five runs in the top of the fourth inning to take an 8-5 lead.
Neither team scored through the sixth inning when rain caused the game to be called early, and the Larks came away with the win.
Lane Snow had a three-hit night against the Larks, and Robert Orr, Ryota Kusumoto and Harrington each had two hits.
Liberal fell behind early again Wednesday, and despite a strong finish, came up short in a 9-7 loss.
Hays scored one run in the first, five in the second and two in the third to take an 8-1 lead.
Liberal pushed three runs across the plate in the bottom of the third and had a chance for more, but two outs were recorded at home, and the Bee Jays trailed 8-4.
The Larks tacked on a run in the fifth inning to take a 9-4 lead, and the Bee Jays were able to score three runs with two outs in the seventh starting with a solo home run by Kusumoto.
The Bee Jays had the tying runs on base but could not get them home. Liberal had two more base runners on in the eight but again couldn’t score, and the Bee Jays went down in order in the ninth for the 9-7 loss.
The Bee Jays still have a half game lead in the league with only one game remaining against Dodge City. Hay finishes with two against the last place Denver Cougars.