WICHITA – Lonestar Baseball Club scored two runs in the bottom of the 10th inning Thursday, rallying to beat the Hutchinson Monarchs 6-5 on the first night of the NBC World Series at Eck Stadium.
The Lonestar rally started with nobody on base and two outs. Nico Ruedas then doubled into the left field corner, and Ben Merriam was hit by a pitch.
Braden Rogers then hit a 1-2 pitch to right field. Brice Wallar’s throw home was in time, but Ruedas’ slide into home plate jarred the ball loose from catcher Dalton Sabathe, which tied the game 5-5.
David Fluitt then dropped a soft line drive into left field, and Merriam scored the winning run.
Brayden Henry took the loss for the Monarchs.
The Monarchs had a pair of one-run leads during the game. They broke a scoreless game in the top of the fourth inning when Jackson Schanuel belted a solo home run, his ninth of the season, tying a single-season Monarchs record.
Lonestar answered with one run in the fifth inning and three in the sixth, taking a 4-1 lead.
The Monarchs immediately answered and tied the game. Sabathe led off the top of the seventh inning with a single. James Dagenhart and Nash Wray followed with walks. Drew Bugner’s groundout scored Sabathe, JJ Spafford doubled home Dagenhart, and Jaden Gustafson’s sacrifice fly scored Wray, tying the game 4-4.
The Monarchs took the lead in the 10th inning on AJ Mustow’s RBI single.
Cooper Harris started and pitched four shutout innings. Ethan Rogers also had a good pitching outing, throwing 3 2/3 shutout innings in relief.
Lonestar outhit the Monarchs 10-8. Wallar had three hits.
The Monarchs will next play at 6 p.m. Saturday against TPA Stix.
