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Sunday, March 29, 1998

Like father, like son: Larry and Daren Hays racking up W's in Lubbock

By MARK BABINECK / Associated Press Writer

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- When Valley City State agreed to play Texas Tech and Lubbock Christian back-to-back earlier this month, the little North Dakota baseball team got more than a couple of sound beatings.

It got a taste of family tradition.

First, Larry Hays' Red Raiders defeated Valley City, 23-2. A bit later on the same Tech field, LCU won 19-3, led by coach Daren Hays, Larry's son.

When it comes to college baseball in Lubbock, you're either playing for a Hays or you're not playing.

"I kind of grew up in the baseball world in a Hays environment," said Tech pitcher Steve Watkins, who played summer ball under Justin Hays; high school under Shanon Hays; his first collegiate year under Daren; and now for Larry, father of the three. "I kind of got a dose of what kind of baseball they want."

The Hays formula is simple: play aggressive offense, fundamental defense, throw strikes and -- most of all -- win.

Larry Hays racked up most of his 1,100-plus wins at Lubbock Christian, where he restarted the program in 1971 and coached until 1986. The Chaps won the NAIA championship in 1983 and always ranked among the small-school baseball elite.

"It was the only job I ever wanted. I did it a long time and never intended to leave," said Hays, 53, who moved down the road to Tech in 1987 to improve a program that had long lived in LCU's shadow. "The Tech job was a challenge I seemed to be ready for. I feel lucky I got to do both."

Daren Hays played at LCU for one season before his father took over the Raiders. He stayed there and anchored the Chaps' lineup under coach Jimmy Shankle, Larry Hays' longtime assistant.

A Hays coaching dynasty never was the plan. Larry Hays said he was surprised when Shankle, who had local ties and many years at LCU, departed for Texas-San Antonio after the 1991 season. Daren Hays, who played two seasons in the Texas Rangers' system and briefly helped his father at Tech, was ready to take the reins.

"When I first went to Lubbock Christian, I was a business major," said Daren Hays, who at 32 already is closing in on 300 victories in seven seasons. "But I grew up at the ballpark. It's where I enjoy being. I couldn't see myself wearing a tie and wouldn't be any good at it anyway, so I guess it's a natural deal for me."

What wasn't natural was a Hays-Hays rivalry. Daren beat Larry 8-3 during his first season; dad returned the favor 8-2 in 1993.

"Grandma couldn't take it any more, so we haven't played since then," Daren Hays said. "It's not a good situation for anybody when we play each other."

That's not to say there's no interaction. For instance, Valley City originally had been scheduled to play only at LCU. When rain swamped the Chaps' field, father and son struck a deal: Larry allowed Daren to play on his turf, while Daren juggled his schedule to let Tech face Valley City, too.

"LCU has helped us host (NCAA) regionals in the past," the elder Hays said. "This time, Tech needed a game and LCU's field was wet. We just kind of made a trade."

Watkins and Brandon Toro, a former Raider playing out his eligibility at LCU, say that while the Hayses share coaching philosophies, their personalities are worlds apart.

"Daren's a lot more fiery. Larry's more laid back," Watkins said. "A lot of the stuff, he doesn't get real riled up about it."

Said Toro: "They want you to win the right way. You take care of business on the field, then you go home and do the right things in life and make good choices off the field."

The Hayses are deeply rooted in the Church of Christ, a prominent denomination in the Lubbock area and the foundation of LCU. Shanon Hays, who coached Watkins at Lubbock Christian High School, now runs the basketball program at Abilene Christian University.

Justin Hays, just married and teaching in nearby Brownfield, is the only Hays not currently coaching. That may change soon.

"We had hopes Justin wasn't going to, but now it's looking like he may eke into it," Daren Hays said. "We were never encouraged to become coaches, but I don't think any of us are smart enough to do anything else."