By RORY MOORE
Tiger Media Network
The Hays Larks defeated the Dodge City A’s 20-2 at Larks Park on Monday to improve their record to 15-3-1 and maintain first place in the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Baseball League. After going scoreless in the first inning, the A’s took the lead with one run, and the Larks responded with a commanding performance by scoring six runs in the second, and 14 runs in the third, including two home runs by Dylan LaRue to end the game in seven innings via the mercy rule.
The Larks huddle around Head Coach Frank Leo for pep talk. 
Outfielder Trent Baker is greeted by teammates during introductions. 
Nick Gray had three seven strikeouts and allowed one run in five innings. 
Gray throws to Lorenzo Rios. 
Rios twists toward a charting A. 
Rios tags out a runner at home plate. 
Leo stressed the use of sacrificial bunts in their offensive strategy. 
Baker celebrates his homer to left field. 
Jackson Babcock and Garrett Gruell embrace Dylan LaRue for his 3-run homer. 
Baker races against a live ball towards third. 
Baker avoids an out during a long third inning. 
Julio Ramos closes out a dominant performance by the Larks. 
The Larks defeated the A’s 20-2. 
LaRue hit a 2-run homer followed by a 3-run homer in the third.
LaRue went 3-5, scored three runs, and produced five RBIs.
“We were able to get the bats going early, and it just kept working for us,” LaRue said. “The boys played really good tonight. I was swinging at a few too many balls but, other than that, I think I was pretty good.”
The outfielder hit a two-run homer followed by a three-run homer during the Larks’ explosive offensive showing in the third. Both came with two outs.
“Both of them were in two-strike counts,” LaRue said. “I was trying to get a pitch that was close to the zone and get a hit while I was under pressure.”
Dylan, brother of former Lark Tyler LaRue, showed his value to the team after an injury kept him inside the dugout prior to this season.
“I was supposed to come when he was still on the team,” he said. “Unfortunately, I tore my ACL that season, so I wasn’t here [for that]. After that, [Head Coach Leo] Frank still had my contact info, so that’s how I was able to come here this year.”
Frank Leo influenced the team’s performance by emphasizing the execution of key plays.
“We talked about that in pregame,” he said. “It’s little things you do during the course of a season that’s going to help you down the road, like the execution of defense on the guy trying to steal home plate. We did good things and took the wind out of their sail.”
Leo considers his team’s offensive performance integral to its goal of defending their championship title.
“The sac bunt game is something we’ve been using,” he said. “We play to win, and we try to prepare for the World Series because we’re going to need those things. We get the sac bunt down, the next batter gets the big hit to drive it home and give us the lead, and the long ball takes over from there.”
While the Larks victory was decisive, Leo considered the A’s a challenge to play.
“They’re in second place,” he said. “They’re 8-6, so they’ve been a quality team and they let one get away from them. Our offense rose to the occasion and proved how capable they are.”
The Larks’ defensive game was decisive too, as winning pitcher Nick Gray threw seven strikeouts while allowing one run and three hits in five innings.
“It was tough setting there in the beginning, but once the offense split up six in that one inning, I knew I had to go back out there and throw strikes,” Gray said. “That third inning was a rough one, sitting there for that long. I figured we’d finally get that last one pretty quick, but it rolled out longer than what I thought.”
Gray credits the batters for the Larks’ strong showing against the A’s.
“I credit this to the offense,” he said. “Whenever you put up 20 runs in a game, you can’t credit anybody else.”
The Larks’ next home game will be against the Newton Rebels at 7 p.m. on Monday at Larks Park.