By Brad Hallier
Jackson Legg belted a two-run home run Saturday, finishing the night with two hits and four RBIs, and the Hutchinson Monarchs extended their lead in the Jayhawk Collegiate League by beating the Great Bend Bat Cats 9-5 in front of a large crowd at Hobart-Detter Field during the team’s annual Cancer Awareness Night.
A night after scoring just two runs, the Monarchs’ bats had a big night against the second-place Bat Cats. The Monarchs had nine hits, including five for extra bases. AJ Mustow had a double and a triple, and drove in three runs.
Legg helped open the scoring for the Monarchs, as his third-inning single scored Jarrett Herrmann. Mustow followed with a two-run double.
After Great Bend closed to 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning, Legg answered with a two-run home run.
Joey Senstock also had a good game at the plate for the Monarchs, going 2 for 4 with a run scored and one RBI.
Ethan Giesbrecht earned the win on the mound for the Monarchs, giving up two unearned runs on four hits in six innings. Camden Cornelius followed with two solid innings, and Aiden Sowers pitched the ninth.
The Monarchs improved to 8-1, leading Great Bend by 1.5 games for first place. They’ll continue a busy stretch of six games in six games when they travel Sunday to Derby.
