BY CAYDEN SANDERS
The Hays Larks opened their post-season with a win in the NBC World Series, moving to 1-0 in pool play with an 8-0 win over the Austin Shockers.
The win could not have been possible without the work of Larks pitcher Brady Rose. Rose has been a workhorse for the team since arriving. During the regular season, Rose had a .74 ERA – the best on the team. He also led the team in strikeouts with 42 entering the postseason. Against the Shockers, Rose performed well again finishing the game with five innings of work and eight strikeouts, giving up only four hits during that time.
“My fastball plays up so well that I’m able to just go right at hitters with my fastball. And that’s the biggest thing, I didn’t have my greatest command of my off-speed and change-up today but I was still able to throw the fastball for strikes and it all worked out in the end,” Rose said. “I am a little upset I wasn’t able to command my pitches, but in the end we got the job done and came out on top so that’s all that matters.”
Austin Jaslove was the first hitter for the Larks to get the bats going, as he hit an RBI double to score two runs as Leo Jiminian and Brady Evans scored in the 5th inning. Hays product Palmer Hutchinson hit an RBI double to score Jaslove. To finish the huge 5th inning, recent addition to the Larks, Ben McLaughlin, hit in Hutchinson for a Larks 4-0 lead.
In the top of the eighth inning, McLaughlin found himself in scoring position and Jiminian hit a sacrifice fly for McLaughlin to score.
McLaughlin did not stop there as he hit a three-run shot to the right-field trees giving the Larks an 8-0 lead over the Shockers going into the bottom of the ninth.
Wyatt Divis closed out the win for Hays.
“I think our pitchers just [have] to step up and do their job and throw strikes and if you’re able to go out there and throw strikes and have good innings and have clean innings [and] you’re going to win a lot of games,” Rose said. “And so we did today and we just need to keep doing that and we’ll be good.”
The Larks move to 1-0 in pool play in the NBC World Series pool C. The next game for the Larks is Saturday; the time is yet to be determined.
“It’s huge to just come out here and get the first win, it helps the team roll and just keep winning,” Rose said. “We just need to keep winning one game at a time and see how far we can make it.”