NBC World Series Tournament Central
WICHITA, Kan. — The Hutchinson Monarchs let a late lead slip away Thursday night, falling 6-5 to Lonestar Baseball Club in 10 innings in the opening round of the NBC World Series at Eck Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University.
Lonestar won it in the bottom of the 10th after David Fluitt lined a walk-off single to left field, scoring the winning run. The game-winning hit came after Braden Rogers tied the game with an RBI single down the right-field line.
The Monarchs struck first in the fourth inning when Jackson Schanuel blasted a solo home run to left field.
Lonestar answered in the fifth on a solo homer by DJ Pinkerton before taking a 4-1 lead in the sixth. Sage Sanders drove in a run with a single, and Rogers followed with a two-run double.
Hutchinson rallied in the seventh to erase the three-run deficit. Drew Bugner brought home a run on a groundout, JJ Spafford added an RBI double, and Jaden Gustafson tied the game with a sacrifice fly.
The Monarchs grabbed a 5-4 advantage in the top of the 10th on AJ Mustow's RBI single, but Lonestar responded with two runs in the bottom half to end the game.
Cooper Harris started for Hutchinson, allowing two hits over four scoreless innings. He struck out seven and walked two. Lonestar starter Davis Luikart limited the Monarchs to one run on four hits over six innings while striking out eight without issuing a walk.
Brice Wallar led Hutchinson offensively, going 3 for 4. Schanuel, Mustow, Bugner, Spafford and Gustafson each drove in a run.
Rogers paced Lonestar with three RBIs, while he, Pinkerton and Ryley Leininger each finished with two hits.
The Monarchs drop to 0-1 in Pool A play and will look to regroup against TPA Texas on Saturday at 6 p.m. Lonestar will face the Seattle Blackfins Saturday at 9 p.m.