ANDOVER, Kan. — Hutchinson High School baseball dropped both games of a road doubleheader to Andover Central on Tuesday, falling 3-2 in the opener and 5-2 in the nightcap.
The Salthawks fell to 0-6 on the season and return to action Thursday with another road doubleheader at Andover High School.
In Game 1, Hutchinson was limited to five hits and nearly rallied late before Andover Central held on for the one-run win.
The Jaguars scored once in the first, second and fourth innings to build a 3-0 lead. Their first run came home on a dropped third strike, another scored on a wild pitch in the second, and Carter Inslee added an RBI triple in the fourth.
Hutchinson broke through in the top of the sixth. Payne Young lined an RBI single to left to score JuJu Lyons, and Brodie McCuan followed with a groundout that brought home Gabe Valadez to trim the deficit to 3-2.
The Salthawks were unable to push across the tying run.
Young, McCuan, Lyons, Valadez and GeVaugn Embers each had one hit for Hutchinson.
Lyons started on the mound and worked five innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out five. Eli Parks pitched the sixth inning in relief.
In Game 2, Hutchinson again stayed within striking distance early before Andover Central pulled away for a 5-2 win.
The Jaguars took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but the Salthawks answered with two runs in the top of the third to move in front.
Hutchinson’s first run scored on a passed ball that allowed Gabe Valadez to come home. Later in the inning, another passed ball brought home Merrick Brotzman, helping the Salthawks grab a 2-1 lead.
Andover Central responded in the bottom half of the third with two runs to reclaim the lead. Jonny George reached on a Hutchinson error that allowed the tying run to score, and Jet Thompson followed with an RBI double to make it 3-2.
The Jaguars added insurance in the fourth on Carter Inslee’s RBI double and tacked on another run in the sixth when Inslee singled home Caden Pritchard.
Valadez, Lyons and Landon Haugsness each had one hit for Hutchinson in Game 2. The Salthawks were aggressive on the bases, swiping seven stolen bases, including two each from Valadez and Haugsness.