By John Mesh
The Hutchinson Monarchs will open the defense of their 2023 NBC World Series title at 6 p.m. Thursday at Wichita State University’s Eck Stadium against TPA Texas.
The 90th NBC World Series starts Thursday and concludes Aug. 3.
The Monarchs were placed in the tough Pool A along with TPA Texas, Seattle Cheney Studs and Tulsa Sandlot.
The Monarchs will play Tulsa Sandlot at midnight Saturday as part of the Baseball ‘Round the Clock schedule and take on the Seattle Cheney Studs at 6 p.m. Monday.
The Monarchs entered the NBC World Series with a 27-7 overall record and were 25-7 in Jayhawk Collegiate League play. Hutchinson was 16-2 at home and 11-5 in road games.
Offensive stars for the Monarchs are:
• Jaden Gustafson — 116 at-bats, .388 batting average, 45 hits, 28 runs scored, 12 doubles, two triples, four homers, 32 RBI, 14 walks, 10 stolen bases.
• Cooper Wesslund — 97 at-bats, 361 BA, 32 runs, 35 hits, four doubles, 22 RBI, 15 walks, 20 stolen bases.
• Brett Smajstria — 83 at-bats, .337 BA, 25 runs, 28 hits, six doubles, two triples, one homer, 22 RBI, five walks, seven stolen bases.
• Camden Johnson — 83 at-bats, .325 BA, 22 runs, 27 hits, 20 RBI, 15 walks, 24 stolen bases.
• Jarrett Flaggert — 103 at-bats, .320 BA, 22 runs, 33 hits, 10 doubles, two homers, 17 RBI, 13 walks.
• Sam Wiese — 104 at-bats, .317 BA, 25 runs, 33 hits, six doubles, three triples, one homer, 22 RBI, 16 walks.
• Blake Bradford — 107 at-bats, .280 BA, 25 runs, 30 hits, seven doubles, one triple, two homers, 28 RBI, eight walks, six stolen bases.
• Zerick Warren — 85 at-bats, .247 BA, 13 runs, 21 hits, six doubles, one homer, 15 RBI, six walks.
• Austin Coyle — 72 at-bats, .222 BA, 21 runs, 16 hits, three doubles, two homers. 15 walks, 10 stolen bases.
Pitching stars:
• Reed Scott — 3-0 record, 1.59 earned run average, 10 appearances, two saves, 17.2 innings pitched, 13 hits, seven runs, nine walks, 18 strikeouts.
• Jace Miner — 3-0 record, 1.69 ERA, eight appearances, seven starts, 37.1 innings, 9 hits, 13 runs, 16 walks, 37 strikeouts.
• Brock Rod — 2-1 record, 2.05 ERA, six appearances, five starts, 22 innings, 13 hits, seven runs, 19 walks, 34 strikeouts.
• Ian Regal — 2-2 record, seven starts, 34.2 innings, 20 hits, nine runs, 14 walks, 32 strikeouts.
• Carson Cornelius — 2-0 record, 2.53 ERA, 11 relief appearances, 21.1 innings, 15 hits, seven runs, five walks, 32 strikeouts.
• Kamden Edge — 3-1 record, 2.70 ERA, nine appearances, two starts, 20 innings, nine hits, nine runs, 18 walks, 37 strikeouts.
• Josiah Ross — 1-1 record, 2.75 ERA, seven appearances, one start,19.2 innings, 13 hits, one runs, nine walks, 30 strikeouts.
• Derrick Johnson — 1-0 record, 3.09 ERA, seven appearances, 11.2 innings, 13 hits, nine runs, seven walks, 15 strikeouts.
• Garrett Folmar — 2-1 record, 3.97 ERA, nine appearances, two starts, 22.2 innings, 189 hits, 15 runs, 18 walks, 17 strikeouts.
• Cole Toureau — 4-0 record, 4.20 ERA, nine appearances, five starts, 31.1 innings, 20 hits, 14 runs, 21 walks, 46 strikeouts.
• Camden Cornelius — 3-0 record, 4.67 ERA, nine appearances, one start, 17.1 innings, 10 runs, 16 walks, 16 strikeouts.
2024 NBC College World Series Pool Play Schedule
Pool A
• Hutchinson Monarchs
• Seattle Cheney Studs
• TPA Texas
• Tulsa Sandlot
Pool B
• GPS Legends
• Haysville Aviators
• Santa Barbara Foresters
• Seattle Blackfins
Pool C
• Boulder Collegians
• Derby Twins
• Liberal Bee Jays
• San Diego Stars
Pool D
• Air Capital Flyers
• Hap Dumont League
• Kansas Cannons
• Lonestar Baseball Club
Thursday, July 25
• 6 p.m.: TPA Texas vs Hutchinson Monarchs
• 8:30 p.m.: Tulsa Sandlot vs Seattle Cheney Studs
Friday, July 26
• Midnight: Lonestar Baseball Club vs Kansas Cannons
• 3 p.m.: Seattle Blackfins vs Haysville Aviators
• 6 p.m.: GPS Legends vs Santa Barbara Foresters
• 8:30 p.m.: Air Capital Flyers vs. Hays Larks
Saturday, July 27 (Baseball ‘Round the Clock)
• Noon: Boulder Collegians vs San Diego Stars
• 3 p.m.: Liberal Bee Jays vs Derby Twins
• 6 p.m.: Seattle Cheney Studs vs TPA Texas
• 9 p.m.: Santa Barbara Foresters vs. Seattle Blackfins
• Midnight: Hutchinson Monarchs vs. Tulsa Sandlot
Sunday, July 28 (Baseball ‘Round the Clock)
• 3 p.m.: GPS Legends vs. Haysville Aviators
• 6 am: Air Capital Flyers vs. Lonestar Baseball Club
• 9 am: Derby Twins vs. Boulder Collegians
• Noon: Hays Larks vs Kansas Cannons
• 3 p.m.: Liberal Bee Jays vs. San Diego Stars
• 6 p.m.: Seattle Cheney Studs vs. Doc’s Bombers
Monday, July 29
• Noon: TPA Texas vs. Tulsa Sandlot
• 3 p.m.: Santa Barbara Foresters vs Haysville Aviators
• 6 p.m.: Hutchinson Monarchs vs Seattle Cheney Studs
• 8:30 p.m.: Seattle Blackfins vs GPS Legends
Tuesday, July 30
• Noon: San Diego Stars vs Derby Twins
• 3 p.m.: Air Capital Flyers vs. Kansas Cannons
• 6 p.m.: Lonestar Baseball Club vs. Hays Larks
• 8:30 p.m.: Boulder Collegians vs. Liberal Bee Jays
Top three teams in each pool will advance to single-elimination bracket play starting July 31.
League 42 receives donation from Kansas City Royals
Wichita’s League 42 Little League baseball program announced Tuesday that it has received a $20,000 donation check from the Kansas City Royals Foundation.
“The Kansas City Royals Foundation, as well as the Kansas City Royals, have been incredibly supportive of League 42 over the past several months. And we could not be more grateful,” said League 42 executive director Bob Lutz on the organization’s social media pages.
“Today, we received a check for $20,000 from the Royals’ Foundation that will be used to enhance and enrich our program. Thanks to Amy Gale and her team with the Royals for helping to make this happen and for believing in what League 42 is working to accomplish on the baseball field, in the classroom and beyond.”
Lutz also announced that a crew from Artistic Polish and Design poured the concrete base Tuesday morning for the Jackie Robinson statue, which will be unveiled on Monday, Aug. 5, at 6 p.m.
Andale Ready Mix supplied the concrete and the crane came from CCP LLC.
“We’re putting the statue four feet higher than the first time in an effort to make it more noticeable and more protected,” Lutz said. “It’s going to look incredible. Saturday, Sam Seybert and his crew from Home Depot will be at the Jackie Robinson Pavilion to help us clean things up, do some new planting and beautify what’s already there.
“They have been great throughout this process with a $7,000 donation of supplies and manpower. That process will begin bright and early Saturday morning at 8 a.m.
“We’re working hard to make the Pavilion as beautiful as we can. It’s a very special place to us and to Wichita and having Jackie back in his rightful place is going to be an amazing thing.”
The National Baseball Congress World Series will host Little League Night on Thursday, Aug. 1, at Wichita State University’s Eck Stadium. All youth baseball players will get in free if they wear their jerseys.
Wichita State golfer wins 114th Kansas Amateur
In a hotly-contested championship match, Wichita State men’s golfer Michael Winslow defeated Kansas Jayhawk Will King to win the 2024 Kansas Amateur title on Sunday afternoon at Topeka Country Club.
Winslow, a native of Overland Park, took down six golfers to take the crown, including defeats of two-seed Alex Springer as well as the reigning Kansas Am Champion and Shocker teammate, Zach Sokolosky.
Winslow avenged his defeat to Sokolosky in last year’s championship match with a come-from-behind victory over his former teammate in this year’s championship semifinal.
A Shocker has won the Amateur event in back-to-back years. Winslow is the fourth Shocker since 2010 to win the event, joining Sokolosky last year, Gage Ihrig in 2017 and Hunter Sparks in 2011.
This past season, Winslow earned AAC All-Conference honors and finished a stellar fourth place as an individual at the 2024 AAC Championship.
Winslow will look to carry his strong finish last season and his Kansas Am Championship into a strong 2024-25 senior campaign.
With the win at the Kansas Am, Winslow will compete in the U.S. Amateur Championship, which begins on Aug. 12 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn.