The Hutchinson Monarchs clinched at least a share of the Jayhawk Collegiate League title on Saturday, as they won their 10th game in a row by beating the Kingman Islanders 17-4 on Friday in Kingman.
The Monarchs will look to win the outright league championship when they return to Hobart-Detter Field at 7 p.m. today against Kingman. The Monarchs have also won league championships in 2016, 2020 and 2021.
The Monarchs belted 18 hits on Friday. Jake Gutierrez, Drew Bugner and Tyson Vassart had three hits each. Vassart belted one of three Monarchs home runs, and he also drove in four runs.
Bugner drove in the first run, as he and Gutierrez hit back-to-back doubles in the top of the first inning. Jackson Legg later hit a two-run single.
The Monarchs blew the game open with five runs in the top of the second inning, all coming with two outs. Bugner reached on an error, which scored Jackson Legg. Vassart followed with an RBI single, and Blake Bradford then smacked a three-run home run.
Tyler Mitchell hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, and Vassart hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning, part of a five-run inning.
Cole Toureau was the winning pitcher. Toureau, the winning pitcher in the Monarchs’ 2023 NBC World Series championship win, threw 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out seven. Brayden Henry pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief, giving up two runs on two hits while striking out five to earn a save.
The Monarchs improved 24-5 overall and 22-5 in the Jayhawk Collegiate League.
