By John Mesh
The Hutchinson Monarchs lost to the Seattle Cheney Studs 9-5 in their final Pool B game at the 91st National Baseball Congress World Series Monday night at Wichita State University’s Eck Stadium-Tyler Field.
Seattle improved to 31-14 overall and the Monarchs fell to 29-8.
Hutchinson and Seattle finished 2-1 in Pool B play. Dodge City and San Diego both finished pool play with 1-2 records.
Hutchinson still advanced to the Round of 16 and will play an opponent to be announced.
The Studs, the home team on the scoreboard, took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a pair of bloop hits to right field.
Hutchinson sent eight batters to the plate in the top of the third inning to score four runs on five hits for a 4-1 lead.
Hutchinson’s J.J. Spafford singled and scored on Dylan Bell’s two-run homer. Jaden Gustafson singled in Jake Gutierrez and Tyson Vassart’s sacrifice fly scored Drew Bugner.
Seattle cut Hutchinson’s lead to 4-2 on back-to-back doubles in the bottom of third inning.
Gutierrez’ RBI single through the left side of the infield scored Keegan Demmer to give the Monarchs a 5-2 lead. Gutierrez now has a 12-game hitting streak.
The Studs hit a solo homer to cut the Monarchs’ lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hutchinson starting pitcher Pryce Bender rung up three strikeouts in the frame.
Seattle plated five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and tacked on an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 9-5 lead over Hutchinson.
The Monarchs did not score in the top of the ninth.
In other pool play matchups on Monday, the Seattle Blackfins defeated Oklahoma MVP 7-5, the San Diego Stars defeated the Dodge City A’s 11-10 (the A’s rallied from a 9-0 deficit to take a 10-9 lead) and the Hays Larks played Lonestar Kraken in the late game.
The final pool play games will be played Tuesday: TPA Texas vs. GPS Texas Collegiate, noon; BTL Hornets vs. Derby Twins, 3 p.m.; Junction City vs. Alaska Goldpanners, 6 p.m.; Lonestar Collegiate vs. Santa Barbara Foresters, 8:30 p.m.
The top three teams from each pool advance to the single-elimination round starting on Wednesday.
The top team in each pool receives a bye for the first game of bracket play.
Single elimination games will run through Saturday when the 2025 NBC World Series Champion is crowned at Equity Bank Park in downtown Wichita (formerly Riverfront Park).
In Sunday’s other Baseball ‘Round the Clock games, Hutchinson defeated Dodge City A’s 10-0, Santa Barbara Foresters defeated BTL Hornets 10-0, Seattle Cheney Studs defeated San Diego Stars 7-2, Derby Twins defeated Lonestar Collegiate 9-4, Junction City Brigade defeated GPS Texas Collegiate 15-8 and Alaska Goldpanners defeated GPS Texas Collegiate 15-8.
In Saturday’s Baseball ‘Round the Clock games, Junction City Brigade defeated TPA Texas 11-7, Alaska Goldpanners defeated GPS Texas Collegiate 10-7, Hays Larks defeated Oklahoma MVP 9-8 and Lonestar Kraken defeated Seattle Blackfins 9-1.
In Friday’s pool play games, Lonestar Kraken defeated Oklahoma MVP 10-1, Lonestar Collegiate 11-0, Hutchinson Monarchs defeated San Diego Stars 13-5 and Santa Barbara Foresters defeated Derby Twins 11-1.
In Thursday’s games, Dodge City A’s defeated Seattle Cheney Studs 8-0 and Hays Larks defeated Seattle Blackfins 6-5.
The Hays Larks defeated the Hutchinson Monarchs for the 2024 NBC title, Hutchinson defeated the Santa Barbara Foresters for the 2023 title and the Foresters “three-peated” in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Santa Barbara has won 10 NBC World Series titles and placed second three times. The Seattle Studs have won three titles and placed second four times. The Hays Larks have one title and four second-place finishes.