By John Mesh
The Hutchinson Monarchs dropped a 7-6 decision to Tulsa Sandlot in their second game of Pool A play at the National Baseball Congress World Series early Sunday morning at Wichita State University’s Eck Stadium.
The Monarchs (28-8), the defending NBCWS World Series champions, fell to 1-1 in Pool A. Hutchinson will play its third pool play game at 6 p.m. Monday against the Seattle Studs.
The Hutchinson-Tulsa game played as part of the NBCWS’s “Baseball ‘Round the Clock” schedule, started at 12:40 Sunday morning and ended at about 3:30 a.m.
The Monarchs plated one run on no hits in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead, but Tulsa Sandlot stunned the Monarchs with five runs on four hits in the bottom of the first for a 5-4 lead.
Hutchinson’s Camden Johnson, a Wichita State Shocker, playing on his home field, reached base on an error in the top of the second. He stole his 26th base of the summer and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cooper Wesslund. The Monarchs cut the deficit to 5-2.
In the top of the fourth inning, Hutchinson’s Sam Wiese drew a bases-loaded walk to score Wesslund and cut Tulsa Sandlot’s lead to 5-3.
Tulsa loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Hutchinson pitcher Jace Miner coaxed a strikeout and an inning-ending flyout.
Hutchinson got a leadoff single in the top of the fifth inning in the top of the fifth inning, but could not score and still trialed 5-3. Minor allowed a single in the bottom of the frame but induced an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
The Monarchs scored three runs on four hits in the top of the sixth inning to take a 6-5 lead. Sam Weise deleted a two-run double to tie the game at 5-5 and scored on a fielder’s choice.
Ian Lanik replaced Miner on the mound in the bottom of the sixth inning. He needed 12 pitches to rack up three strikeouts.
A couple of good Tulsa Sandlot defensive plays kept the Monarchs off the board in the top of the seventh inning.
There was a 15-minute rain delay before the start of the top of the eighth inning, When play resumed, the Monarchs were retired in order.
Hutchinson’s Lanik pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth inning.
Hutchinson failed to score in the top of the ninth inning and Tulsa Sandlot notched the 7-6 victory.
Johnson moved into the third place on the Monarchs’ single-season stolen base list with his 26th stolen base.
Will Edmundson extended his Monarch-record hitting to streak to 24 games with an infield single in the top of the fourth inning.
Jaden Gustafson, a teammate of Johnson’s at Wichita State, extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a triple to left-center field in the top of the second inning.
2024 NBC College World Series Pool Play Schedule
Pool A
• Seattle Cheney Studs 2-0
• Hutchinson Monarchs 1-1
• Tulsa Sandlot 1-1
• TPA Texas 0-2
Pool B
• Haysville Aviators 2-0
• Santa Barbara Foresters 2-0
• GPS Legends 0-2
• Seattle Blackfins 0-2
Pool C
• Derby Twins 2-0
• San Diego Stars 1-1
• Liberal Bee Jays 1-1
• Boulder Collegians 0-2
Pool D
• Lonestar Baseball Club 2-0
• Hays Larks 2-0
• Kansas Cannons 0-2
• Air Capital Flyers 0-2
Thursday, July 25
Hutchinson Monarchs 5, TPA Texas 2
Seattle Cheney Studs 9, Tulsa Sandlot 0
Friday, July 26
Lonestar Baseball Club 2, Kansas Cannons 1
Seattle Blackfins 3 Haysville Aviators 1
Santa Barbara Foresters 2, GPS Legends 0
Hays Larks 8, Air Capital Flyers 0
Saturday, July 27 (Baseball ‘Round the Clock)
San Diego Stars 7, Boulder Collegians 5
Derby Twins 9, Liberal Bee Jays 6
Seattle Cheney Studs 5, TPA Texas 1
Santa Barbara Foresters 3, Seattle Blackfins 2 (11 innings)
Tulsa Sandlot 7, Hutchinson Monarchs 6
Sunday, July 28 (Baseball ‘Round the Clock)
Haysville Aviators 7, GPS Legends 6
Lonestar Baseball Club 11, Air Capital Flyers 1
Derby Twins 8, Boulder Collegians 3
Hays Larks 11, Kansas Cannons 8
Liberal Bee Jays 11, San Diego Stars 8
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
The top three teams in each pool will advance to single-elimination bracket play starting on Tuesday, July 31.