Washburn homers in win over Waves
By CONOR NICHOLL
WICHITA -- Dusty Washburn completed a big night for the Hays Larks with one of his longest hits of the summer.
Washburn homered well over the double-decker fence in left-center field in the Larks' 10-0 victory over the San Diego Waves in their opener of the National Baseball Congress World Series on Tuesday night at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
His homer ended the game with one out in the sixth inning because of the run rule and marked Hays' biggest win since the Larks beat the Colorado Bombers, 12-2, in the second game of the World Series on Aug. 4, 2007. They hadn't defeated a team by 10 runs in 46 regular-season games.
"Dusty just crushed that ball," Larks manager Frank Leo said. "It was a no-doubter from the time it left the bat."
The homer was Washburn's fifth of the season, one off the team-high, and marked his first home run since July 20 and second since July 1. Washburn finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. He had his second two-hit game in his last four contests -- after he didn't collect one for the previous 19.
But the Div. II All-American for Fort Hays State University in the spring has turned his game around at the end of the season. In his last five contests, Washburn, a four-year Lark, is batting .333 (5-for-15) with two RBIs, including a game-winner against Nevada (Mo.) in the last regular season weekend, and two runs scored.
On Tuesday, Washburn was one of four Larks to collect two hits and one of three to score twice. His homer off an inside pitch flew over the United Rental sign on the two-tier fence in left-center field and a few feet away from the 385-foot sign. The homer was one of the longest balls Washburn has nailed this summer, including a ball at Salina that went over the scoreboard at Dean Evans Stadium.
"When Dusty is hitting, Dusty is one of the best hitters in the league," second baseman Rich Michalek said. "In batting practice, he does it all the time. Nothing new for us to see at all."
Roster calculus
The Larks lost one player, added two more and might have lost another before the World Series started. Jason Kudlock, an outfielder and spot starter, left the team within the last few days. He finished the summer with a .273 average, one homer and 17 RBIs and a 1-1 record and 7.84 earned-run average in five appearances.
"In this tournament, you need as much pitching as you can get," Leo said.
Leo added two players, right-hander Don Pugliese, a pitcher who played with Michalek at Div. II Slippery Rock (Pa.) University, and outfielder Cameron Monger, the leadoff hitter for the Dodge City Athletics this summer.
Pugliese, though, might not play for the Larks. He went 1-2 with a 2.66 ERA for Slippery Rock in the spring and Michalek said he might sign with the Yankees. Pugliese was not in uniform Tuesday night.
"On his way down here, he got a call from the Yankees and they are sending them up there and he is going to have to work out with them and I think he is going to sign with them," Michalek said.
Monger stole 57 bases for Howard (Texas) College in the spring and hit first for the Athletics all year. In six games against Hays during Jayhawk League play, Monger went 8-for-29 (.276) with seven runs scored, six stolen bases and three RBIs.
Monger was expected to play Tuesday, but the run rule canceled the opportunity.
"Monger is going to contribute some way, either defensively or stealing bases for us, and he is a good hitter," Leo said. "We were going to use him late in the ball game. The plan was today to get to the sixth, seventh inning and use him defensively."
Bunts
The fans enjoyed a fireworks show after the conclusion of the Larks' contest. Hays' game started 23 minutes late after its scheduled 7:30 p.m. start time. ... Derby, the runner-up to Hays in the Jayhawk League, lost to the Conejo (Calif.) Oaks, 4-3, in their first-round game. Liberal is the only one of the five Jayhawk League teams that hasn't played its first-round game yet. The Bee Jays will face the Havasu (Ariz.) Heat, the defending champs, tonight.
Quotable
"I think this is the amateur baseball capital of the United States."
-- Jess Bolen, NBC Hall of Fame inductee, before the Larks' game.
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