The Alaska Goldpanners scored five unearned runs in the pivotal third inning Thursday, and the Hutchinson Monarchs’ quest to repeat as National Baseball Congress champions ended with a 7-4 loss in the NBC World Series quarterfinals at Eck Stadium.
With one out in the top of the third inning, Alaska began to threaten. JR Bedford bunted and reached on an error by pitcher Dayton Hicks. Braden Oliver followed with a single. Then, with two outs, the Goldpanners had four straight hits – three singles and a triple – and took a 5-0 lead.
The lead increased to 6-0 the next inning before the Monarchs got on the scoreboard, as Brice Wallar singled home Jaden Gustafson.
Down 7-1 in the sixth inning, the Monarchs got back in the game when Jackson Schanuel belted a three-run home run, his 10th of the season, which set a Monarchs’ single-season record.
The Monarchs had runners on each of the final three innings but came up empty, and their season ended 28-11.
Hicks took the loss, giving up five runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. Ethan Rogers pitched the next 3 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits, and Brayden Henry pitched three hitless innings, striking out six.
