Cooper Harris struck out 15 batters in 6 1/3 innings Saturday, and the Hutchinson Monarchs swept a doubleheader from the Kingman Islanders at Hobart-Detter Field. Harris’ performance came in the second game, an 8-1 win, and the Monarchs rallied late in the first game, a 12-6 win.
Both games were scheduled for seven innings.
The games were the Monarchs’ first since Monday, as they endured rainouts Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
The first game saw the Monarchs as the visiting team, since that was the make-up game from Friday in Kingman. The game was tied 6-6 in the seventh inning, when the Monarchs pulled away. With one out, JJ Spafford reached on an error, scoring Drew Bugner. Jackson Schanuel followed with an RBI single, and Brice Wallar then smashed a grand slam.
Schanuel, Spafford and Drew Bugner had three hits apiece, as the Monarchs outhit the Islanders 15-7.
Vinny Jarrell was the winning pitcher, throwing 1 1/3 shutout innings in relief.
Harris was dominant from the start in the second game, retiring the Islanders in order in the first inning. In the bottom of the first, Drew Bugner’s two-run single gave the the Monarchs the lead, and Dalton Sabathe followed with a two-run triple.
Schanuel smoked another home run in the fifth inning, part of the Monarchs’ seven-hit attack.
The Monarchs improved to 13-6 and will next play Monday in Augusta against the Kansas Cannons.
