SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
DERBY, Kan. — The Hutchinson High School baseball team picked up a pair of wins on Tuesday evening in Derby, 8-3 and 7-2, to complete the sweep of the Panthers in back-to-back seasons.
With the win, the Salthawks are now 5-3 on the season, while the Panthers drop to 0-8. Hutchinson will host Valley Center on Friday at Hobart-Detter Field, while Derby will host Salina South.
Game 1 — Hutchinson 8, Derby 3
The Salthawks opened the scoring in the second inning when a wild pitch brought home one run. Derby answered in the bottom of the inning on a groundout by Connor Burget to tie the game, 1-1.
In the third, Derby pulled ahead after an error scored one run, and Hudson Halstead added an RBI single to make it 3-1.
Hutchinson responded in the fifth inning. Gabe Valadez singled to center field, Jack Davis walked, Derby committed an error, JuJu Lyons singled, and Jack Yoder was hit by a pitch — all contributing to Hutchinson regaining the lead, with each sequence scoring a run.
Valadez earned the win for Hutchinson, allowing five hits and three runs (two earned) over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out three and walked none. Jace Hambleton took the loss for Derby, giving up five runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one. Landon Parks recorded the four-out save. The Salthawks pitching staff retired 11 of 12 faced in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth frames.
The Salthawks collected 11 hits in the game. Lyons led the way with two RBIs from the ninth spot in the order, going 2-for-3. Carter Morgan and Valadez each had three hits, while Caiden Beavers added two hits in five at-bats.
Game 2 — Hutchinson 7, Derby 2
Hutchinson scored five runs in the fifth inning to pull away for a 7-2 win over Derby on Tuesday night.
The Salthawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Caiden Beavers delivered an RBI single. They extended the lead to 2-0 in the third after an error by the Panthers.
Hutchinson broke the game open in the fifth, recording five runs on five hits. JuJu Lyons tripled to drive in a run, Carter Morgan followed with an RBI double, and Jack Yoder brought in a run with a sacrifice fly. Gabe Valadez and Cole Bleything each added RBI singles to cap the inning.
Morgan earned the win on the mound, allowing just two hits and one run over five innings. He struck out five and walked four. Rowan Foster took the loss for Derby, giving up seven runs — only two of them earned — on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two. Landon Parks recorded the save, and Beavers pitched in relief for Hutchinson.
Beavers and Morgan each collected two hits for the Salthawks. Bleything, Yoder, Morgan, Beavers, Lyons, and Valadez all drove in one run. Beavers also stole three bases, as Hutchinson swiped six in total. The Salthawks also turned one double play defensively.