Hays Larks claim first NBC World Series championship, topping Hutchinson Monarchs

The wait is over for the Hays Larks, and they’ll be going back home with their first NBC World Series championship following a 7-3 victory over the Hutchinson Monarchs.

The Larks had previously made a trip to the NBC World Series championship game six times, coming up short each time. This time around, the Larks had to get through the defending NBC World Series champions. And up until the eighth inning, it looked like the Monarchs were ready to repeat.

Murray State College’s Wilbert Espinal led an eighth inning comeback for the Larks, driving home the tying run in the inning before bringing in two more runs for insurance in the ninth, all from a pair of ground-rule doubles. Espinal finished his night going 2-for-5.

Down 3-2 heading into the eighth, Larks first baseman Garrett Gruell, a rising senior at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, led off with a single to left off Emporia State’s Ian Lanik; a fielder’s choice moved him into scoring position. Espinal’s ground-rule double tied the score.

Espinal, who hit .318 for the Aggies, scored the go-ahead run later in the inning after Butler CC’s Taber Stokes’ RBI single.

Lanik took the loss on Saturday. He lasted three innings with two earned runs on four hits.

The Larks were given plenty of insurance in the top of the ninth with a three-run inning capped off by Espinal’s second double. After Monarchs pitcher Cole Toureau walked the bases loaded, one run scored on a fielder’s choice. The final two runs came from Espinal’s second double.

Hays’ Dalton Campbell (Hill College) earned the win and save for the Larks’ first title, pitching ⅔ of an inning with one strikeout.

Lefty Ian Regal took the mound for the Monarchs and went five innings with two earned runs on four hits. He struck out six in his start, allowing three walks.

The Monarchs had jumped out to an early lead in the second inning, started by Wichita State’s Camden Johnson (RBI single). In his freshman year with the Shockers, the infielder slashed .326/.389/.414 and went 2-for-5 on the night. The Monarchs scored two more runs off Larks’ starter Nolan Wilson (Houston Christian), who finished with a line of 3 1/3 innings pitched with three earned runs on eight hits. He struck out five and walked two.

Saturday’s final was the first all-Kansas NBC World Series championship game since the Liberal Bee Jays defeated the Larks in the 2000 contest.