By NICK McQUEEN

nmcqueen@dailynews.net

By the time you read this, the Hays Legion baseball team could be well on its way to a repeat of Tuesday's performance in the opener of the Class AAA Zone 7 tournament at Larks Park.

At least, that's what Hays coach Mike Jenner and the Eagles are hoping for.

Even a half or a third of what Hays did Tuesday in a 23-3 beating of Dodge City could provide the Eagles with a enough, if they hope to get past Salina in today's 4 p.m. second-round game.

Salina defeated Great Bend, 13-4, in Tuesday's early game at Larks Park.

"We have to score runs with people on base," Jenner said of today's matchup. "They're a great team we split with, and they've all been really good games."

Tuesday's game was anything but good right from the gate, unless you're an Eagles fan.

Hays (26-14) blasted out 25 hits, scored 23 runs, and ended the game after seven innings over a Ranger team the Eagles had lost to last week in a doubleheader split.

"The other night when we got beat by them, it kind of opened these guys' eyes a little bit," Jenner said. "They wanted to come out and show them what we're made of, and they certainly did that."

The Eagles took a 5-0 lead after the first inning, batting through the order, and put up eight more runs in the second, sending 14 batters to the plate.

In both innings, Hays capitalized on two-out errors by Dodge City, scoring 11 runs with two outs in both innings to take a 13-0 lead, well on their way to victory. In the zone Tournament, a game must go at least seven innnings.

"We hit the ball hard, and hit it well," Jenner said. "We didn't strand and didn't leave players stranded.

"That's what we have to do to win baseball games."

Logan Downing's two-run home run highlighted the eight-run second in which six Hays batters collected hits, including Matt Malott, who collected two in the inning.

Downing's home run was to deep left-center, near the 405-foot sign.

It was part of a 4-for-5 effort with a homer, two doubles and a single.

His double in the fourth inning, part of a four-run fourth, was a bloop that dropped in between two Rangers in right field.

Jenner found it hard to single out one player when each starter collected at least two hits.

"Logan Downing really hit it well, and Kelton Rule was on tonight too, but he's been hitting well again lately," Jenner said. "Everyone hit it hard, though. Even the outs were hard."

Rule had a 4-for-4 performance, with a double, scoring two runs and driving in four. He also pitched the first four innings.

Jesse Hart, who went 1-6 for the Junior Legion this summer, picked up the win in relief, pitching the final three innings.

In four scoreless innings, Rule gave up two hits and walked one with two strikeouts. Hart allowed the three Dodge City runs, as the Rangers put up one in the fifth and two in the sixth to avoid the shutout.

Malott had the Eagles' other four-hit game, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored and one RBI. Austin Klaus and Justin Klaus each had three hits, combining for seven runs scored and three RBIs.

"If we can do that against Salina, we'll be sitting pretty good," Jenner said.

Hays split its four meetings with Salina (26-16) this season. When the two teams squared off in the season opener, Hays reliever Travis Budke got the 6-5, eight-inning win, with Salina taking the second game, also in extra innings.

Budke also pitched when the Eagles defeated Salina, 16-9 in Salina on June 20.

Salina again won the nightcap. Budke (6-1) is scheduled to take the mound today against Conner Martin, the pitcher in both Salina wins over Hays this season.

"(Travis) throws strikes and keeps us in the ball game," Jenner said. "That's what he's done all season, and we expect that from him (today)."

The season-opening doubleheader had a pair of eight-inning games. In Salina, Hays won 16-9, followed by a 9-4 win for Salina.