GREAT BEND, Kan. – McPherson High School baseball won one of two games on Friday, May 8 in the Great Bend Triangular, falling in walk-off fashion to Junction City 3-2 before shutting out Great Bend 7-0.
The split for the Bullpups clinched a top four seed in the 4A West Regional standings once the regular season ends, meaning that McPherson will be one of the eight hosts in the 4A Regional Baseball tournaments. It will mark the sixth year in a row that the Grant Sports Complex will host Regionals for baseball.
The first game of the day saw McPherson falling in walk-off fashion against the Junction City Blue Jays, 3-2. The Bullpups had just five hits on the game, but left seven batters on base. Both of their runs were scored in the fourth inning, coming off of a two-out, two-run double by Nolan Pearcy.
Junction City responded with a run in the 5th inning, cutting the score to a 2-1 McPherson lead. After a scoreless 6th, Junction City put the first two runners aboard in the 7th. A sacrifice bunt moved them both in scoring position before an RBI single drove home the tying run. The bases were loaded with one out before a strikeout recorded the second out, however a walk brought home the winning run for Junction City, 3-2.
Cru Buchman started on the mound, exiting after three innings. Cowen Huggard threw the remainder of the game, recording his first loss of the season. On top of the five hits, McPherson drew three walks and stole five bases.
The Bullpups shook off the loss by shutting out Great Bend, 7-0, thanks to a complete-game shutout by pitcher Cade Strathman. Coincidentally, Strathman will begin his college baseball career in Great Bend at Barton Community College.
Great Bend had three hits and drew one walk in the first five innings, but strong defensive plays by McPherson (such as double plays, caught stealing, and pickoffs) resulted in Great Bend leaving zero runners on base. McPherson put up a run in the second and one in the fifth.
Leading 2-0 after six innings, McPherson put up five runs in the seventh frame. McPherson had the bases loaded after a walk, a Takoda Linn double, and an intentional walk. Brady Rinker drove home a run on a sacrifice fly before Cowen Huggard tried to put down a sacrifice bunt, which resulted in Huggard being safe at first base, with Linn scoring on a play at the plate, which put McPherson up 4-0.
Graham Prescott grounded out with the bases loaded, resulting in another RBI, followed by a two-run single by Adrian Unruh, giving the Bullpups a 7-0 lead. The side was retired in the bottom of the 7th to end the game.
Strathman allowed only three hits and two walks, striking out three batters in his complete-game shutout effort. The senior was efficient in his efforts, throwing a total of 89 pitches in seven innings.
Offensively, McPherson had six hits and drew seven walks. Pearcy was the only multi-hit performer for McPherson, going 2-3. Unruh and Huggard had two RBI’s each. Carter Bengtson and Cru Buchman drew two walks each.
McPherson is now 19-5 on the season. They will wrap up the regular season on Tuesday, May 12 at Buhler.
