Hutchinson Trinity Catholic senior pitcher Drew Dechant struck out 16 batters in a 3-1 victory over Sedgwick in a Kansas Class 2-1A state playoff quarterfinal game Thursday at Rice Park in Hutchinson.
Dechant surrendered one hit, three walks and one run over 6 2/3 innings. Sam Vogel pitched in relief for Trinity.
Alex Stout took the loss for Sedgwick. He went six innings, allowed three runs on seven hits, struck out 10 and walked two.
Sedgwick got on the board in the third inning after Riley Queen drew a walk and scored the Cardinals’ run. In the bottom of the third inning, Vogel tripled to center field and Dechant hit a sacrifice fly.
Dechant, Vogel, Bryan Maya, Kaid McElgunn, Lucas Griffith, Garrett Griffith and Gavin Scott each collected one hit for Trinity. Dechant, Vogel and Griffith each drove in one run. Griffith stole two bases. Trinity played error-free baseball.
Rylan Howell went 1-for-3 at the plate to lead Sedgwick. Queen had three of Sedgwick’s four stolen bases. The Cardinals also did not make an error.
Trinity advanced to the Class 2-1A Region 4 Regional 2 semifinals. The Celtics will play Stanton County (14-8) at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Spearville. Stanton County defeated Plainville 8-3 in a first-round game Thursday at Stanton County.
In the semifinal game following the Trinity-Stanton County matchup, Inman (13-10) will play Spearville (19-2). The semifinal winners will play for the championship 25 minutes after the second semifinal game concludes.
In the quarterfinals Thursday, Inman defeated Ell-Saline 11-1 and Spearville defeated Satanta 13-1.
In the Class 2-1A Region 4 Regional 1 quarterfinals Thursday, No. 1 seed Hays-Thomas More Prep-Marian defeated Pratt-Skyline 13-0, Medicine Lodge defeated Elkhart 17-1, Bucklin/Coldwater-South Central defeated Kinsley 13-3 and Little River defeated Sublette 16-0 (3 innings).
The Regional 1 semifinals will be played at TMP on Tuesday. Little River (18-5) plays Bucklin/Coldwater-South Central at 2 p.m., followed by TMP vs. Medicine Lodge (10-11). The semifinal winners play for the championship.
