HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Salina South completed a doubleheader sweep of Hutchinson on Friday at Hobart-Detter Field, rolling to 14-1 and 15-1 victories over the Salthawks.
Hutchinson dropped to 2-16 on the season, while Salina South improved to 6-11. The Salthawks will return to action Tuesday when they host Salina Central at Hobart-Detter Field.
Salina South set the tone early in Game 1, scoring four runs in the opening inning and adding two more in the second to build a 6-0 lead. The Cougars extended the margin to 8-0 in the third before breaking the game open with a six-run seventh inning.
Hutchinson managed just one hit in the opener, a seventh-inning double by Merrick Brotzman. Brotzman later scored the Salthawks’ lone run. Oak Williams was hit by a pitch and Landon Haugsness and Eli Atha each reached base via walks.
Landon Huffman earned the win for Salina South, allowing one hit and one unearned run over seven innings while striking out eight.
Payne Young worked 4 1/3 innings in relief for Hutchinson and allowed six runs, three earned, while Haugsness took the loss after surrendering eight runs, five earned, in 2 2/3 innings.
In Game 2, Hutchinson answered Salina South’s first-inning run in the bottom half when Brodie McCuan doubled and later scored on Brotzman’s RBI single to tie the game at 1-1.
The Cougars regained the lead with a run in the second and another in the third before erupting for 12 runs in the fifth to pull away for the run-rule victory.
McCuan led Hutchinson in Game 2 by going 1 for 2 with a double and a run scored. Brotzman went 1 for 2 with an RBI, and Payne Young added a single. Haugsness and McCuan each drew walks.
Caden Stauffer picked up the win for Salina South, allowing three hits and one run over five innings while striking out four.
JuJu Lyons took the loss for Hutchinson, allowing seven runs, five earned, over four innings while striking out seven. Eli Atha and Kam Wilson also pitched in relief.
Salina South collected 20 hits across the two games and was led by Huffman, Wyatt Breeden and Stauffer, who each drove in multiple runs during the sweep.