HESSTON, Kan. – The Hesston College baseball team swept a four-game series against Marshalltown Community College over the weekend (Mar. 15-16). After mounting a huge comeback in the first game of the series, the Larks held the Tigers to only one run across the other three games. This marked the first sweep of a series with three of more games since 2023. The Larks will start region play on Friday (Mar. 21) as they take on Moberly Area CC starting at 1 p.m.

Game 1 – Hesston College 7, Marshalltown Community College 6

The Larks struggled early in the opener falling behind 5-0 by the sixth inning, but a seven-run rally in the bottom of the inning lifted the Larks to a win.

Lucas Dunn sparked the rally with a double to right field before a walk and a Marshalltown error loaded the bases. Back-to-back walks to Trentis Lane and Chris Cammllarie scored the first two runs for Hesston. An RBI single from Jett Millsap, a walk to Michael Clayton and a wild pitch allowed the Larks to tie things up. Dunn put the Larks ahead for good with his second double of the inning driving in Millsap and Clayton.

Dunn finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.

Zach Guntle made the start for Hesston tossing four innings and allowing one run on four hits and seven walks while recording six strikeouts. Colby Simkins earned the win for the Larks with a two-inning relief appearance before Camden Cornelius held off the Tigers in the final frame and left the bases loaded to record his first career save.

Game 2 – Hesston College 5, Marshalltown Community College 0

The Larks recorded their first shutout of the season in Saturday's second game. Lark starter Yuya Omata hurled a complete game allowing six hits and punching out five batters.

A single and an error put a pair of runners in scoring position for Hesston in the third inning before one scored on a ground ball to the shortstop and the other on an RBI single by Samuel Vasquez. Dunn brought home Vasquez with a moon shot to straight away center field to put the Larks up 4-0. Colin Pitzer added the final run of the game with an RBI single in the fourth inning.

Pitzer finished 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.

Game 3 – Hesston College 1, Marshalltown Community College 0

The Larks and Tigers were caught in a defensive deadlock into the sixth inning when Kaleb Wise scored the only run of the game with a solo home run to left field. A game that featured five combined hits was highlighted by strong pitching performances including the Larks second straight complete game shutout, this one from Luke Richard. Richard also recorded one of the Larks three hits to go along with his dominant pitching performance. Sincere Lozano provided the third Lark hit in the contest.

Game 4 – Hesston College 14, Marshalltown Community College 1

The Lark bats exploded for 14 runs in the final game of the series as they won 14-1 in five innings. Millsap started on the bump for Hesston and tossed three scoreless innings before being relieved.

A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases for Hesston in the first inning before a walk drawn by Wise plated the first run of the game. A sacrifice fly, an error and a stolen base added three more runs for the Larks. In the second, Millsap clubbed an RBI double to left to make the score 5-0 and later came around to score on a single by Richard. Richard drove in two more runs in the third with a single to left before Wise hit his second home run of the day, this one a three-run shot to left field. Marshalltown scratched across their lone run of the day in the fourth by drawing a bases loaded walk, but Hesston responded with three more runs in the home half. Back-to-back doubles from Kaleb Cain and Millsap plated Hesston's final runs of the day. Michael Cook took the mound for the final inning and set down the Tigers in order recording a pair of strikeouts.

Millsap, Dunn, Richard and Cain all finished with multiple hits as the Larks went 13-for-24 at the plate as a team.