HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Monarchs put together a complete day of baseball Saturday, using a late offensive explosion in the opener and another overpowering pitching performance in the nightcap to sweep the Kingman Islanders 12-6 and 8-1 at Hobart-Detter Field.
The Monarchs collected 23 hits across the two games while their pitching staff combined to strike out 23 batters in the doubleheader.
Game 1 Recap:
Brice Wallar delivered the biggest swing of the day, blasting a seventh-inning grand slam to left field to cap a six-run rally that lifted Hutchinson to a 12-6 comeback victory.
The Monarchs built an early 4-1 advantage in the fourth inning. Drew Bugner started the scoring with an RBI single down the right-field line before Brady Taylor and Jackson Schanuel followed with RBI singles. Wallar added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead.
Kingman's Ramon Corona answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth, and the Islanders surged ahead with a five-run sixth inning. Zack Moore highlighted the rally with a two-run homer while Jack Jewell and Owen Schmidt each drove in runs after being hit by pitches before Corona added an RBI single to make it 6-4.
Hutchinson responded immediately in the seventh.
The Monarchs sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs on five hits. Wallar's grand slam erased the deficit and put Hutchinson comfortably in front as the Monarchs completed the comeback.
Vinny Jarrell earned the victory in relief, allowing just one hit over 1 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out two. Starter Gabe Winans kept Hutchinson in the game, surrendering one run on three hits over five innings with five strikeouts. Carter Harrington also pitched in relief.
The Monarchs pounded out 15 hits. Bugner, J.J. Spafford and Schanuel each had three-hit games, while Marcus Gradney and Taylor added two hits apiece. Wes Baker drew three of Hutchinson's seven walks.
Corona led Kingman offensively, finishing 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
Game 2 Recap:
Cooper Harris followed up his recent string of dominant outings with perhaps his best performance of the summer, striking out 15 batters as Hutchinson completed the sweep with an 8-1 victory.
Harris allowed just five hits and one run over 6 1/3 innings without issuing a walk before turning the game over to Daegen Vinduska in relief.
The Monarchs wasted little time providing run support.
Bugner delivered a two-run single in the first inning before Dalton Sabathe followed with a two-run triple to give Hutchinson a quick 4-0 lead.
The Monarchs added two more runs in the second on Nash Wray's RBI double and a wild pitch before Jackson Schanuel launched a two-run home run to left field in the fifth to extend the lead to 8-1.
Bugner led the offense by going 2-for-3, while Hutchinson again showed patience at the plate by drawing seven walks. Wray and Brady Taylor each walked twice.
Owen Schmidt paced the Islanders with two hits and two stolen bases.
The Monarchs now head to Augusta on Monday for a road matchup against the Kansas Cannons.