TRENTON, Mo. – The Hesston College baseball team saw their season end at the Region 6/16 tournament hosted by North Central Missouri College from May 8-10. Both games the Larks played were tightly contested and were decided in the final innings. The Larks finish the season with an overall record of 18-32.

Game 1 – Hesston College 9, East Central College 11

The Falcons got on the board first scoring three runs in the opening frame, but the Larks answered with a four-run second inning to take the lead. The Larks loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a walk before RJ Cruz drew an RBI walk to put the Larks on the board. Kelvin Malone reached on a bunt single in the following at bat to bring in another run before Lucas Dunn singled to the left scoring a run and a Falcon error allowed another run to cross on the same play. The Larks added to their lead in the fourth as a fielder's choice allowed Cruz to score. Noel Cesena followed that with an RBI single to the right side before Luke Richard slammed a towering two-run home run to left field. Kaleb Wise followed that up in the next at bat with a solo shot to left to put the Larks up 9-3. From there the Falcons began chipping away at the Hesston lead, scoring one in the fourth and fifth innings and mounted a four-run rally in the seventh to tie the game. ECC took the lead for good in the eighth scoring a pair of runs on a solo home run and a sacrifice fly.

Wise went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Dunn, Cesena and Malone also had multiple hits in the game. Dunn and Richard finished with 2 RBI apiece.

Colby Simkins made a strong start for Hesston allowing only one earned run (four allowed) on six hits and two walks and three strikeouts through four innings. Richard took the loss allowing seven runs on seven hits and four walks with one strikeout in four innings of work.

Game 2 – Hesston College 5, Moberly Area CC 6

The Larks were the first to score in the elimination game as Richard drove in Dunn with an RBI single, but the Greyhounds responded with a two-run homer in the second to take the lead. The Larks battled back in the third scoring three runs as Wise stepped up with the bases loaded and drove in a pair on a single to center before Trentis Lane collected an RBI of his own putting the Larks up 4-2. The Greyhounds tied the game in the fifth with a bases loaded single and took the lead in the seventh on an RBI double before Richard tied things up in the bottom of the inning with a single up the middle. With two outs in the ninth, the Greyhounds managed to load the bases on a single and two walks before a third walk brought in the winning run. The Larks had an opportunity to score in the home half, but were unable to plate a run as their season came to a close.

Richard finished 3-for-5 with 2 RBI and Wise and Cesena also had multiple hits in the game. Yuya Omata made a quality start for Hesston tossing six frames and allowing four runs on six hits and a walk. Camden Cornelius took the loss allowing two runs on three hits and five walks in three innings of work.