KINGMAN, Kan. (July 11, 2025) — The Hutchinson Monarchs continued their dominant run through the Jayhawk Collegiate League, pounding the Kingman Islanders 17-4 on Friday night in Kingman to improve to 24-5 on the season.
The Monarchs jumped on Kingman early and never looked back, scoring in each of the first three innings and capping the night with a thunderous ninth-inning outburst with four runs in the top of the inning. Hutchinson finished with 17 runs on a barrage of hits, home runs, and Kingman miscues.
Hutchinson wasted no time in the top of the first. Drew Bugner doubled to left and advanced to third on an error, scoring Jacob Gutierrez. Moments later, Jackson Legg laced a two-run single to right, plating Bugner and Blake Bradford to give the Monarchs a 3-0 lead before the Islanders had recorded an out.
In the second, more defensive troubles plagued Kingman. A second error by second baseman Kyle Reese allowed another run to score. Tyson Vassart followed with an RBI single, then Bradford broke things wide open with a three-run homer to dead center to make it 8-0.
Kingman got on the board in the bottom of the second with an RBI single from Landon Parks, but Hutchinson answered quickly.
Gutierrez delivered a two-run single in the third, Tyler Mitchell homered in the fifth, and the Monarchs added a run in the sixth on a Bugner groundout that scored Vassart, stretching the lead to 12-1.
Kingman added three more runs across the sixth and seventh innings, including a two-run triple by Hayden Oviatt, but Hutchinson buried any hope of a comeback with another outburst in the top of the ninth.
Gutierrez singled home a run, Bugner added another RBI hit, and Vassart put the exclamation point on the night with a towering three-run homer to right to push the lead to 17-4.
Bugner finished the night with three hits, three RBIs, and four runs scored. Gutierrez tallied three hits and two RBIs, while Vassart drove in four and Bradford added three more.
The Monarchs, who have now scored 16 or more runs in three of their last five games, continue to lead the Jayhawk Collegiate League as they head into the final stretch of the regular season.
Hutchinson, with Friday night's win now has a five game lead on the Derby Twins with five remaining games to play. Derby has six remaining games to play.
Hutchinson returns home to Hobart-Detter Field on Saturday night to wrap up the series with Kingman.
Monday night's game versus the Junction City Brigade is Eagle Media Night. Stop by Eagle Media at 825 North Main on Monday between 8am - 5pm to pick up free admission tickets to the game that night only. Courtesy of Eagle Media Hutchinson.