TRENTON, Mo. – The Hesston College baseball team took one game out of a three-game series against North Central Missouri College on April 17-18. The series was tightly contested with each of the three games being decided by three runs or less. Two of three games saw both teams score more than 10 runs. The Larks will be back in action against Dodge City Community College on Tuesday (April 22) for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.

Game 1 – Hesston College 7, NCMC 8

The series opener came down to the final inning as the Pirates won in walk off fashion. Lark starter Colby Simkins and reliever Camden Cornelius combined to throw five scoreless innings to open the game. The Larks got on the board in the third inning as Lucas Dunn smashed a two-run home run over the wall in left field to bring in Kelvin Malone. Dunn added to the Lark lead in the fifth with his second two-run shot of the day to center field bringing in Noel Cesena. The Pirates plated their first two runs in the sixth to cut Hesston's lead to 4-2. NCMC scored four more runs in the eighth to briefly take the lead before a pair of Lark home runs put them back in front in the ninth. Malone tied the game with a two-run shot that soared just right of the left field foul pole to bring in Sincere Lozano. Dunn put Hesston ahead 7-6 with his third home run of the day, a blast to straightaway center, but a pair of Pirate RBI singles in the home half earned them the walk off win.

Dunn finished 4-for-4 with five RBI and a walk while Malone went 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Simkins allowed only one hit and one walk in his four innings of work. Cornelius gave up two unearned runs on one hit and two strikeouts in three innings of work. Jett Millsap took the loss for Hesston allowing six runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out one.

Game 2 – Hesston College 13, NCMC 11

The Larks held the early edge after Millsap slammed a two-run home run to left in the opening frame. The Pirates took back one run in the bottom of the inning before busting open an eight-run rally in the third. NCMC added another run in the fourth to go up 10-2, before the Larks mounted a rally of their own, scoring seven runs in the fifth. Trentis Lane led off the inning with a double before Dunn singled to center to bring him home. Colin Pitzer moved Dunn into scoring position with a base hit before Kaleb Wise drove him in with an RBI single. Chris Cammllarie drew a walk to load the bases before three straight RBI hits from Sincere Lozano, Cesena and Lane cut the deficit to one run. NCMC plated a run in the bottom of the inning, but the Larks took the lead for good in the seventh. Lane drove in Cammllarie with another RBI single before an intentional walk loaded the bases for Luke Richard who drove everyone in with a double to center field.

Millsap, Lozano, Cesena and Lane all finished with multiple hits in the game.

Zach Guntle earned the win on the bump for Hesston allowing one run on one hit and one walk while striking out two batters in two innings of work. Richard earned his second save of the season allowing only one hit to shut down NCMC in the final inning.

Game 3 – Hesston College 14, NCMC 17

The Larks kept their momentum going early in the series finale, plating nine runs in the first inning. Dunn reached on a base hit to start things off before Richard moved him over to third with his second double of the day. Dunn would score on a wild pitch before Millsap drove in Richard with a single. Consecutive RBI hits from Lozano, Lane, RJ Cruz and Cesena followed by an RBI single from Richard put the Larks up 9-0 to start the game. NCMC responded with four runs over the next two innings, but the Larks added two more runs in the third with an RBI single from Lozano. The Pirates rallied in the fourth inning scoring eight runs before adding two more in the sixth, taking the lead 14-11. Wise drove in Dunn with a single to left in the seventh, but the Pirates responded with an RBI single of their own. The Pirates wrapped up their scoring in the eighth with a pair of runs to go up 17-12. Cutter Livermore attempted to start a ninth-inning rally with a two-run bomb to left, but they fell just short of the comeback.

Lozano led the Larks with three RBI and Cruz, Lane and Livermore each batted in a pair. Richard, Millsap, Wise, Lozano and Cesena each had two hits in the game.