By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

Eddie Carl talked with Jim Bagnall, his head coach at Eastern Arizona Community College a few months ago. Bagnall told Carl that a coach from the Jayhawk League had called the EACC program asking about the right-hander.

"He said the Jayhawk League is pretty well known and one of the top in the country, so I might want to check it out more and go play out here," Carl said. "I figured out about halfway through the spring that I was going to head out here."

Carl, a right-hander, joined the Larks' pitching staff and pitched the second game of the Opening Day doubleheader against Denver. That outing, Carl's first on the mound since the collegiate season was rough (six runs).

Since then, though, Carl has become acclimated to Hays, started his normal routine and settled in as one of the Larks' top starters on a pitching staff that is posting some impressive numbers. He has a 2.12 earned-run average in his last four starts, including a 0.75 ERA in his last three.

"Definitely glad that I came out here," Carl said.

In the past two games, Carl has helped the Larks' staff post a solid seven-game stretch. Carl has made two appearances in those seven contests and tossed six shutout innings.

A recent signee of NCAA Div. I University of New Mexico for next season, Carl (1-1, 5.12 ERA) is scheduled to make his next start today in a road series finale at El Dorado.

"Definitely been more on a roll my last couple outings," Carl said. "Just trying to get the mechanics down and get everything figured out after I took a pretty long break after my college season ended."

Overall, the Larks have allowed 17 runs and held teams under three runs in three of the last five contests. That includes allowing four runs in two wins against Derby that helped the Larks (13-7 overall, 9-4 Jayhawk) take the lead in the Jayhawk League last week.

"I think we have a tremendous pitching staff," Hays pitching coach Keith Harper said.

After an 8-5 start, the staff, with just 10 pitchers that have seen consistent work all season, posted a 5-2 record and a 1.63 ERA in the last seven games.

That includes Sam Elam, a midseason pickup. In his first start, Elam allowed three runs while getting two outs before being replaced.

Take out that outing and the team ERA drops to 1.19.

"We are pleased and the starters are coming along fine and the end of the game is in good hands," Hays manager Frank Leo said. "We could start bringing Sammy along a little bit, that could be a two, three week project."

Several pitchers, especially relievers Chase Johnson and Kevin Hennessey (33 strikeouts, two runs, 18 2/3 innings combined) have been effective all season, while Tyler Sturdevant and Carl are two that have improved throughout the summer.

"Eddie was advertised as a good starter," Leo said. "He started slow, but every outing has gotten better."

Carl has gotten back into his routine from the spring. Hays is much different than Arizona -- "the humidity," Carl said -- but he has found a running loop around the town to build up conditioning. Carl has also gotten back to lifting every day.

"It's probably a little bit more than a mile, depending on the heat, I can't handle it some days," he said.

Carl also has been enveloped in the atmosphere that surrounds the Larks. When he isn't pitching, Carl is often in the stands with his teammates clocking his teammates' pitches.

He also is a lightning rod for attention from the children that enjoy being around the team. At multiple games, children have wanted to talk with Carl during games, joke around with him and enjoy the game.

"I am glad that they can look up to me and kind of hang out with me," he said. " ...I am glad that they look up to me and try to best role model I can be."