BY CAYDEN SANDERS
PHOTOS BY CAYDEN SANDERS AND JESSALYN KIRCHHOFF
The Hays Larks competed in a three-game homestand against the Colorado Springs Outlaws over the weekend after earning five wins on the road. The Larks’ potent offense came to life in a series sweep against the Outlaws.
The Larks’ offense scored a season-high 22 runs in game one, starting with catcher Brady Evens hitting his first home run of the season. With the Larks leading 4-0, Hunter Rossen hit an RBI double and Austin Jaslove stepped up to the plate and hit a two-run RBI single to give the Larks a 7-0 lead.
Ben Fiernzi joined in on the second-inning rally with a two-run RBI single, and Jack Torosian hit a single to leave the bases loaded for Rossen. Rossen did his job as the Larks scored another two runs. Feilding errors from the Outlaws allowed the Larks to finish the bottom of the second scoring 13 runs.
In the bottom of the third Garrett Gruel hit a single-run home run to push the lead to 14-0. Cade Brown hit in two more runs on an RBI double. The Larks ended the fourth inning running up their lead to 22-0. The Larks cruised onto the victory.
“[It] Feels good,” Fiernzi said. “It’s good to get back in Larks Park, we’ve been playing really well lately and just happened to get a good swing on the ball and ball carried out here and it was good for the boys to rally together and get it done the win and hopefully, we can tighten up momentum through the rest of the season.”
On Saturday the Larks had a battle with the Outlaws. Jaslove hit an RBI single to get the Larks first run of the game. Colorado Springs did strike back as the Outlaws catcher Jarron Wilcox hit an RBI single to the left-field corner. James Wright then hit a two-run RBI single to give the Outlaws a 3-1 lead.
With a fielding error by the Outlaws’ second baseman, the Larks scored two runs to tie up the game at three runs a piece. Another fielding error gave the Larks a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh. The Larks gained three more runs after a moonshot from Dylan Drieling as the ball went over the scoreboard and over the dyke. After the top of the 8th, the Outlaws took the lead from the Larks 7-6 into the bottom of the eighth.
The umpires called a very tight game for the Outlaws as the home plate umpire called a balk with the bases loaded and the Larks down a run in the bottom of the eighth. More fielding issues riddled the Outlaws as they dropped a pop fly in centerfield giving the Larks the lead. The Larks went on to win the game 9-7.
In the final contest of the series, it was heated. From personal battles between players from both teams to the 105 degree temperature on the field.
The Outlaws struck first with a Casey Campbell home run that gave the Outlaws a 2-0 lead. The Lark’s offense got on the board in the bottom of the second inning and in the bottom of the third Dylan Drieling hit a two-run RBI triple to have the Larks a 3-2 lead. Fiernzi hit an RBI single that increased the Larks’ lead to 4-2 and Hutchinson hit an RBI double to the right-field that scored Fiernzi from first base.
The Outlaws did score a run in the top of the 6th on a solo home run but in the bottom of the seventh inning, Jaslove hit a two-run RBI single to give the Larks an 8-3 lead. Fiernzi got ahold of another ball as he earned his second home run on the season pushing the final margin to 12-3.
“First. I mean, it’s always fun playing games like this is the offense just gets going,” Fiernzi said. “And it’s always fun when hitting the ball and hit the ball out of the box. Good fun, really good. Defensively, you guys have done very well this season.”
The Larks are back in action on Tuesday night on the road vs. the Kansas Cannons and will be back at home on Thursday. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:30 instead of 7:00 due to the extreme heat that is going to be in Hays this next week.
“It’s so fun to play in front of these fans is great fun and it’s a great atmosphere down here and I love playing down here,” Fiernzi said. “So hopefully we could keep playing well and put on the show for the fans and have a good strong end of the season.”
Ben Fiernzi watches Jack Torosian make the final out of the game. 
Brady Rose pitches to close out the game 
Ben Fiernzi gitty ups his pony as he celebrates his home run 
Ben Fiernzi celebrates at home plate with Jack Torrosian and Cade Brown after hitting a home run 
Kaleb Meridith holds a toy horse in celebration of a home run hit 
Third baseman Palmer Hutchinson swings at a ball 
Outfielder Garrett Gruell catches a flyout in left-centerfield 
Lark’s third baseman Palmer Hutchinson sets up for a pop-out catch 
Lark’s third baseman Ben Fiernzi makes a play to throw out the runner 
Garrett Gruel and other Larks celebrate a homerun near home plate 
Head coach of the Larks Frank Leo and player Garrett Gruel celebrate a homerun 
