By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

WICHITA -- Patrick Cooper had established himself as the Hays Larks' top pitcher with strong games all summer. On Tuesday night, he reaffirmed his status as the team's ace with a remarkable performance on summer baseball's biggest stage.

In the Larks' opener at the National Baseball Congress World Series at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, Cooper delivered a one-hit shutout in a 10-0 win against the San Diego Waves. The game was called in the sixth inning because of the run rule.

"I don't think there was anybody who put a good swing on the ball for six innings," Larks manager Frank Leo said. "They were behind on it, his breaking pitch had them fooled, just a very good outing. Coop is a very relaxed guy and nothing seems to bother him and he seemed very comfortable out there tonight."

Cooper allowed just two balls into the outfield and permitted only an infield single in the fifth inning for his second shutout of the summer.

"I kind of took it like a big-game start," he said. "Today was on my shoulders to lead the team."

The right-hander also benefited from strong defensive plays by catcher Eric Roof, shortstop Mike Brownstein and second baseman Rich Michalek. Offensively, eight starters collected at least one hit and Dusty Washburn homered.

It was the second shutout and fourth run-rule game in the first 27 NBC contests and marked Hays' first shutout since Cooper came within one out of a perfect game in a 4-0 victory against El Dorado on June 29.

The Larks (32-15), who took second in 2007 and are the No. 2 seed this year, will move into the third round of the winner's bracket Friday against the Southern California Fire. Game time is undetermined.

"I think it is just great for our momentum," Michalek said. "Usually in Game 1, you come out here and some people are usually a little bit nervous, but we showed that we came out here and we weren't scared at all."

Cooper set the foundation for the victory. After he fashioned a 1-6 record and 7.90 earned-run average in the spring as a freshman at Eastern Kentucky, Cooper has established himself as a workhorse and No. 1 pitcher this summer.

The win Tuesday bumped Cooper's numbers to 7-3 with a 2.48 ERA in a team-high 69 innings pitched.

The victory moved him into a tie for 10th place on the Larks' all-time list for single-season victories. Cooper has two of Hays' three complete games and a pair of its four shutouts.

"He has been our guy all year and he did a great job," Leo said. "It gives a chance to bring him back on Sunday."

Cooper walked Miles Silverstein to lead off the game, one of several speedsters for the Waves. On the first pitch, Silverstein took off for second, but Larks catcher Eric Roof threw him out. It marked just the seventh time in 65 chances Hays had thrown out a runner and the second occasion that happened with Cooper on the mound.

"That play kind of set the tone," Leo said. "It made our guys confident. We hadn't been throwing very many guys out and Roof just threw a pea and Patrick was quick to the plate."

Cooper hit the second batter, then retired the next 12 straight. He ended the first inning with a terrific play by Michalek, the Larks' returning all-Jayhawk League second baseman. Brett Hartman hit a high chopper off the turf and Michalek had to hurry the play. The last hop bounced high and forced Michalek to jump and barehand the ball. When he came down, Michalek threw out Hartman by a step. Cooper called it "one of the top plays this summer."

"Once it hit the second hop, it just stayed up in the air," Michalek said. "I thought it was going to skip a little bit, but it just stayed up in the air and I knew that was the only chance I had."

Offensively, Hays scored twice in the first and five more in the third as every starter either reached base or scored a run. Left fielder Joe Huwer finished the game with two RBIs. The Larks led 9-0 after four innings, when San Diego committed four errors.

"We took advantage of some things and that is what you have to do to win the tournament," Leo said.

Cooper, though, kept the Waves off base. He threw nearly 75 percent fastballs and San Diego could rarely put the ball in play. He struck out six against three walks and one hit batter.

"My fastball was really working," he said. "I felt like it was pretty live today. The adrenaline just (helped) you. ... They were kind of behind on my fastball."

Cooper had a no-hitter through four innings before a teammate broke a cardinal baseball rule and mentioned it.

"You can't help but not (think about it)," Cooper said. "And then of course one of the guys in the dugout says Coop has got a no-hitter."

With two outs in the fifth, Cody Burgener hit a ground ball up the middle that Brownstein fielded behind second base. Burgener barely beat the throw to first. Cooper, called "lights out" by Michalek, finished the game retiring four of the last five batters.

"The most important thing isn't me throwing a no-hitter," Cooper said. "The most important thing for us is getting a win and getting the shutout."

Washburn completed the shutout and victory with his fifth homer of the season, a one-out blast in the sixth inning that ended the game.