SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
WICHITA, Kan. — The Hutchinson Monarchs quest to repeating as NBC World Series champions is off to a good start, as the Monarchs defeated TPA Texas, 5-2, on Thursday evening.
The Monarchs are now 28-7 overall and have now won seven straight games at the NBC World Series, dating back to last season. Hutchinson will play Tulsa Sandlot in the second game of pool play on Saturday night at midnight, as part of Baseball 'Round the Clock.
Hutchinson opened the scoring with an RBI single from Jarrett Flaggert in the first inning. Blake Bradford then reached on an error, scoring Will Edmunson to make it 2-0. Camden Johnson kept the scoring going with a 2-run single to left field to put the Monarchs in front, 4-0.
The Monarchs made it 5-0 with an RBI single from newcomer, Reese Ratchford, in the third inning.
TPA Texas scored a run in the fifth and one more in the sixth inning.
Ian Regal earned the win on the mound for the Monarchs, going 5 1/3 innings. Carson Cornelius tossed 2 2/3 innings of relief, while Reese Usselman closed the game out in the ninth.