The Dodge City Athletics' Karch Kowalczyk had the type of game Thursday night that players dream about. Kowalczyk had two home runs in the eighth inning, a three-run bomb and a grand slam in the A’s 25-10 win on Thursday night.
He ended the night a triple short of the cycle, going 5-for-5 with two doubles, two home runs, a single and two walks while driving in eight runs and scoring four runs.
“Nice to see him have a breakout game again,” A’s head coach Phil Stephenson said. "It’s been a while since he swung the bat the way he is capable of.”
Dodge City totaled 23 hits, and Hays had 13. The two teams combined for 14 extra-base hits, including six that were homers.
For the fourth time in their last five Jayhawk League games, Dodge City came from behind to win. Dodge City overcame a seven-run deficit Thursday at Cavalier Field.
Brock Green started a seven-run rally in the fourth with a solo homer. Michael Fear was the only A's player not to reach base, but he had a sacrifice fly to bring home Jeremy Gum.
Nate Hewes, Rick Lesperance and Allen Riley each had RBI singles, while Stephen Castiglione hit a two-run double to put his team up 9-7.
When the Larks got within one run, trailing 11-10, Dodge City scored 14 runs in the eighth, including a two-run homer from Green and Kowalczyk’s homers.
“The eighth inning was one of those innings you have once every two-to-three years,” Stephenson said. “I just don’t know what to say, 14 runs.”
Hays had no trouble crushing the pitching of Jesus Francies to start the game. In the 1 2/3 innings Francies pitched, he gave up three doubles and a homer.
The Larks got their first five runs off RBI doubles by Brian Martin, Andrew Heck and a three-run double by Cody Gougler.
Cam Brown hit a two-run homer to cap off a five-run second inning for the Larks, giving them a 7-0 lead.
Allen Riley struck out in what should have ended the bottom of the second, but Larks catcher Ollie Goulder could not hang onto the ball and Riley sprinted to first and Kowalczyk came home for the A’s first run of the game.
After Dodge City took the lead in the fourth, it added two more runs in the fifth. Whaley led off the inning with a double and Gum drove him in. Gum scored when Lesperance was walked with the bases loaded.
The Larks were not done scoring and started a comeback of their own. Trailing 11-7, Brown hit his second home run of the game in a two-run top of the sixth.
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The Dodge City Athletics' Karch Kowalczyk had the type of game Thursday night that players dream about. Kowalczyk had two home runs in the eighth inning, a three-run bomb and a grand slam in the A’s 25-10 win on Thursday night.
He ended the night a triple short of the cycle, going 5-for-5 with two doubles, two home runs, a single and two walks while driving in eight runs and scoring four runs.
“Nice to see him have a breakout game again,” A’s head coach Phil Stephenson said. "It’s been a while since he swung the bat the way he is capable of.”
Dodge City totaled 23 hits, and Hays had 13. The two teams combined for 14 extra-base hits, including six that were homers.
For the fourth time in their last five Jayhawk League games, Dodge City came from behind to win. Dodge City overcame a seven-run deficit Thursday at Cavalier Field.
Brock Green started a seven-run rally in the fourth with a solo homer. Michael Fear was the only A's player not to reach base, but he had a sacrifice fly to bring home Jeremy Gum.
Nate Hewes, Rick Lesperance and Allen Riley each had RBI singles, while Stephen Castiglione hit a two-run double to put his team up 9-7.
When the Larks got within one run, trailing 11-10, Dodge City scored 14 runs in the eighth, including a two-run homer from Green and Kowalczyk’s homers.
“The eighth inning was one of those innings you have once every two-to-three years,” Stephenson said. “I just don’t know what to say, 14 runs.”
Hays had no trouble crushing the pitching of Jesus Francies to start the game. In the 1 2/3 innings Francies pitched, he gave up three doubles and a homer.
The Larks got their first five runs off RBI doubles by Brian Martin, Andrew Heck and a three-run double by Cody Gougler.
Cam Brown hit a two-run homer to cap off a five-run second inning for the Larks, giving them a 7-0 lead.
Allen Riley struck out in what should have ended the bottom of the second, but Larks catcher Ollie Goulder could not hang onto the ball and Riley sprinted to first and Kowalczyk came home for the A’s first run of the game.
After Dodge City took the lead in the fourth, it added two more runs in the fifth. Whaley led off the inning with a double and Gum drove him in. Gum scored when Lesperance was walked with the bases loaded.
The Larks were not done scoring and started a comeback of their own. Trailing 11-7, Brown hit his second home run of the game in a two-run top of the sixth.
