GREAT BEND, Kan. — The Hutchinson Monarchs (2-0) blew out the Great Bend Bat Cats (1-1) 11-5 in Sunflower Baseball League action in Great Bend on Friday. The Monarchs got things moving in the first inning as leadoff hitter Jeremiah Ceasar doubled by hitting the first pitch of the game over the Great Bend right fielder that bounced to the fence. Ceasar then scored on a couple of throwing errors to scamper in from third base, scoring the early lead run.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Great Bend Bat Cats tied things up at 1. Brady Michel’s sac fly scored one run for Great Bend.
Hutchinson pulled away for good with three runs in the 5th inning. An error scored three runs for the Monarchs, plus Hutch put up four runs in the 8th inning. Conor Craig, Mason Lowe, and Nedved each had RBI in the frame.
Dawson Dreher led things off on the mound for the Monarchs. He surrendered one run on four hits over 2 1/3 innings, striking out one.
Carson Bell started for the Great Bend Bat Cats. He lasted three innings, allowing one hit and one run while striking out two. Great Bend’s Zack Brizendine and Conrad Hansel came on in relief, throwing four innings and two innings respectively.
Hutchinson launched one home run in the game when Taylor Barber went deep in the 7th inning.
Hutchinson tallied 11 hits in the game. Jeremiah Ceasar and Brayden Whitchurch each collected two hits for Hutch.
The Bat Cats totaled 13 hits in the game. Daunte Freeman, Chase Gibson, Hunter Romero and Zach Poe all collected multiple hits for Great Bend. Freeman led Great Bend Bat Cats at three for four in the game.
Hutchinson travels to Mulvane on Monday, then plays Derby in Wichita at WSU’s Eck Stadium Tuesday before returning home for the home opener versus Derby next Wednesday at Hobart-Detter Field in Carey Park.