PARKVILLE, Mo. — The Hesston College baseball team dropped the opening two games of its four-game series at Park before splitting Saturday’s home doubleheader, falling 2–1 and 12–5 on Friday and closing with a 12–3 loss and a 7–4 setback on Saturday.
Game 1 – Park 2, Hesston 1
Hesston was limited to three hits in the series opener as Park edged the Larks 2–1. After Park took a 1–0 lead on a solo home run in the second, the Larks answered in the third. R. Cruz singled and later scored on an RBI single up the middle from N. Cesena to tie the game at 1–1.
Park regained the lead in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly, and that would hold up the rest of the way. Hesston threatened in the sixth when a pinch runner advanced to third on a passed ball and wild pitch, but Park’s bullpen closed the door. Colby Simkins tossed five innings, allowing two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts in the tough-luck loss.
Game 2 – Park 12, Hesston 5
The Larks struck first in game two, plating three runs in the third inning. RJ Cruz delivered a two-run double to center, and Trentis Lane reached on an error that allowed another run to score for a 3–0 advantage.
Park responded with a six-run third, highlighted by a bases-clearing double and a triple, then added six more in the fourth to take control. Hesston added single runs in the fourth and seventh, including an RBI single from Manuel Aranguren and a run scoring on an error, but could not overcome the deficit. R. Cruz finished with two RBIs, and Cole Steinrich and Chris Cammllarie each recorded hits in the loss.
Game 3 – Park 12, Hesston 3
Back in Hesston on Saturday, Park jumped out to an early 6–0 lead in the first inning, capitalizing on walks and defensive miscues. The Pirates added three more in the second to stretch the margin.
The Larks broke through in the fourth on an RBI groundout, then got solo home runs from Camden Stateler and Steinrich in the fifth to account for their three runs. Hesston totaled six hits in the contest, including a single from Noel Cesena and a base hit from Corbin Broyles, but Park’s offense proved too much.
Game 4 – Park 7, Hesston 4
Hesston closed the series with a competitive 7–4 loss. The Larks built a 3–0 lead through two innings. R. Cruz singled and later scored in the first, and an RBI groundout by Federico Moran and a sacrifice fly from Cruz extended the advantage in the second.
After Park tied the game with a two-run homer in the sixth and capitalized on defensive errors to even the score, the Pirates plated three unearned runs in the seventh to pull ahead 7–4. Hesston collected seven hits, with multi-hit efforts from Cruz and Aranguren, but could not rally in the final frame.
The Larks will travel to Hillsboro on Wednesday, March 4th to face Tabor College in a single 9-inning game.
