Indians Sweep Larned
By Nick McQueen
The Hays High School baseball team made a rare occasion even more non-conventional in a doubleheader rout (11-3 and 22-9) at non-conference foe Larned on Tuesday.
A solid defensive day for the Indians was highlighted by an 8-4-5 triple play to end the opener as Hays High picked up wins No. 6 and 7 heading into Thursday's 2 p.m. Western Athletic Conference doubleheader with Garden City at the HHS field.
"We had a great day defensively,"¬ Hays High coach Frank Leo said. "We turned three double plays and capped it all off with a triple play. The defense all day was pretty crisp, and made big plays when it had to."
With the bases loaded in the seventh and sophomore Tanner Willhoft on the mound, a Larned batter hit a line drive to junior Tom Rohleder in center field.
"All the runners thought it would get down," Leo said.
Rohleder made the catch, threw to junior second baseman Kelton Rule for the out at second. Rule relayed the ball to senior Sam Rohleder at third base for the game-ending triple play.
"Triple plays aren't conventional, but this one was even more non-conventional,"¬ Leo said.
The doubleheader sweep capped an unusual first half of the season where Hays High was scheduled to play eight out of its first 10 games on the road. Two of those games, a doubleheader at Liberal, were postponed until May 9 due to weather.
Now, Hays High (7-3 overall) will start something it hasn't seen, a home stand, starting on Thursday.
"It should be a little less hectic of a pace,"¬ Leo said. "We won't have to worry about traveling for a little while. It will be nice to be at home."
Hays High's only home action was a doubleheader split with WAC rival Great Bend last week, as the Indians bring a 1-1 WAC record into Thursday's games with Garden City (5-7 overall, 1-1 WAC). The Indians got the opportunity to scout the Buffaloes, when Garden City lost 5-4 and 3-2 in a doubleheader earlier this season in Hays to Thomas More Prep-Marian.
"We'll have to be prepared to play that doubleheader," Leo said. "They have a new coach and they're a 6A program, and a WAC team."
Garden City is coming off a doubleheader sweep of Garden City on Tuesday, winning 14-4 and 18-2.
In the doubleheader Tuesday, Hays High got a chance to throw some younger arms and worked several players into the lineup. Willhoft, sophomore Derek Mayer, sophomore Dan Moritz, and sophomore Matt Dinkel all pitched in the doubleheader.
Junior Dylan Karst made the most of his varsity appearance, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs in Game 2, one of several Indians with multi-hit games in the nightcap.
"We had some sophomore pitchers step up and throw well," Leo said. "It was great to give some of those younger guys the opportunity."
The blowout also saw senior Taylor Pfannenstiel go 3-for-5 with six runs driven in and three runs scored. Senior Matt Malott, in the leadoff spot, went 4-for-5 with four runs scored.
After Tuesday's games, Sam Rohleder leads the Indians' offense, hitting .462 with three doubles and 13 RBIs. Pfannenstiel is batting .385 and has a team-high 16 RBIs with two home runs, both hit last week against Great Bend.
The Indians will throw Rule (1-1) and junior Logan Downing (3-0) in Thursday's doubleheader.