SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
MAIZE, Kan. — The Hutchinson High School baseball team earned a split on the road at 5A No. 5 Maize South, falling in the first game, 8-2, before bouncing back for a 13-10 win in the finale.
The Salthawks are now 7-5 overall and will travel to Andover Central on Thursday for a single game at 4 p.m., while the Mavericks drop to 9-4 and will host Valley Center next Tuesday.
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Game 1 — Maize South 8, Hutchinson 2
A five-run sixth inning proved to be the difference Tuesday as Maize South pulled away for an 8-2 win over Hutchinson.
Hutchinson struck first in the top of the first when Jack Yoder drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Salthawks a 1-0 lead. Maize South responded in the bottom half, taking a 2-1 lead on a bases-loaded walk to Cy Stucky and a run-scoring double play off the bat of Tanner Herrington.
The Mavericks broke the game open in the sixth, scoring five runs on seven hits. Brody Epke doubled in a run, Connor Mucciaccio added an RBI single, and Tate McNew delivered a two-run triple. Kade Cary capped the inning with an RBI groundout to push the lead to 7-1.
Keegan McLachlan picked up the win for Maize South, allowing four hits and one run over 5 1/3 innings while striking out three. Hutchinson starter Gabe Valadez took the loss, giving up six runs on six hits with five walks and three strikeouts in five innings.
Carter Morgan led Hutchinson at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Yoder swiped two bases, and the Salthawks turned a double play defensively.
Maize South tallied 10 hits, led by Mucciaccio’s 3-for-3 performance and two RBIs. McNew also drove in two runs and finished with a triple. Kallen Scott added two hits for the Mavericks.
Hutchinson - 100 000 1 - 2 5 1
Maize South - 200 105 x - 8 10 1
W: McLachlin. L: Valadez. Time: 1:47.
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Game 2 — Hutchinson 13, Maize South 10
Hutchinson stormed back from an early four-run deficit to outslug Maize South 13-10 in a high-scoring contest Tuesday evening.
The Salthawks racked up 13 hits and swiped 14 bases in the win, overcoming a 6-2 hole after two innings. Hutchinson tied the game in the third behind RBI hits from Gabe Valadez and Brodie McCuan, along with a sacrifice fly from Cole Bleything and a run-scoring lineout by Jack Davis.
Maize South briefly regained the lead in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Brody Epke, but Hutchinson flipped the script with a seven-run fourth inning, highlighted by a two-RBI single from JuJu Lyons. The Salthawks collected six hits in the frame and took a 13-7 lead.
Carter Morgan picked up the win for Hutchinson, allowing 10 runs—only three earned—over six innings with two strikeouts and three walks. Bleything earned the save. Maize South starter Cole Haynes went two innings, giving up two runs on four hits.
Caiden Beavers led Hutchinson at the plate, going 3-for-4 from the leadoff spot. Landon Parks drove in two runs, while Yoder and Morgan each recorded multiple hits. Yoder, Lyons, and Valadez each stole multiple bases in the Salthawks’ aggressive effort on the basepaths.
Maize South finished with nine hits, including two apiece from Kade Cary, Kanyon Akers, and Epke. Cary also drove in two runs. The Mavericks stole four bases in the loss.
Hutchinson - 204 700 0 - 13 13 5
Maize South - 151 030 0 - 10 9 3
W: Morgan. L: Kary. Time: 2:27.