MOBERLY, Mo. – The Hesston College baseball team snatched one of three games against Moberly Area Community College from March 21-22. After struggling offensively in the first two games, the Larks sprung back with a 9-3 win in game three to avoid the sweep. The Larks will be back at home for a pair of games with MidAmerica Nazarene on Wednesday (Mar. 26) starting at 1 p.m.
Game 1 – Hesston College 1, Moberly Area CC 9
Despite a late rally by the Larks, the Greyhounds led the entire way in the opener. Moberly got on the board with a pair of runs in the second inning followed by three in the third and fifth innings and one more in the sixth. The Larks scored their lone run in the top of the seventh on an RBI groundout by Jett Millsap. The scoring opportunity was set up by a leadoff single from Peyton Rush followed by a double to left field by Kelvin Malone.
Millsap finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Brayden Haire was the starter for Hesston going two innings and allowing three runs on two hits and two walks. Garrett Hanson made a three-frame relief appearance allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out one batter.
Game 2 – Hesston College 1, Moberly Area CC 11
The Larks' offensive woes carried into the second game as they fell 11-1 in five innings. Moberly opened things up by scoring five runs in the opening frame. They added four in the third and two in the fourth to wrap up their scoring for the day. The Larks showed some life in the fourth inning as a leadoff single by Luke Richard turned into a two bagger on a throwing error by MACC. Richard would later cross the plate on a sacrifice fly by Millsap to score the lone Lark run.
Richard and Samuel Vasquez recorded the only hits for Hesston.
Zach Guntle went 2.1 innings as the starter for the Larks allowing eight runs (three earned) on three hits and three walks while striking out a pair.
Game 3 – Hesston College 9, Moberly Area CC 3
Hesston flipped the script in the final game of the series, leading the entire way for a 9-3 win. The Larks got on the board in the second inning as a walk and three consecutive HBP's brought in Collin Pitzer. In the next frame, Richard singled and Kaleb Wise doubled to put a pair in scoring position for Pitzer who clubbed them in with a line drive to right. Hesston extended their lead to 4-0 with a sacrifice fly from Lucas Dunn in the fourth before a string of MACC miscues extended the lead even further. A Greyhound error, a single and a walk loaded the bases for Malone who drew a walk of his own. Kaleb Cain was hit by a pitch in the following at bat to bring home another run before Millsap drove in a pair on a single to right field. The Greyhounds responded with three runs in the home half of the frame, but the Larks slammed the door with an RBI single from Dunn in the eighth inning to close out the scoring.
Millsap, Pitzer and Dunn each recorded multiple hits and RBI in the contest while Cain added a pair of RBI as well.
Richard went five innings as the starter on the mound for Hesston allowing three runs (zero earned) on five hits and two walks while punching out five. Millsap recorded his first career save tossing four scoreless frames to close out the win for Hesston while allowing only one hit and striking out four batters along the way.
