By Brad Hallier
Carson Harrell pitched six shutout innings, and the Hutchinson Monarchs had runners on base all game – including head coach Casey Lippoldt and assistant coach Ryan Stoecklein – in beating the Wichita Black Sox 8-3 on Monday at Hobart-Detter Field.
The win improved the Monarchs to 6-0. They outhit the Black Sox 14-6 and seven more reached by walk or hit by pitch.
Harrell allowed just two hits, walked none and struck out eight. Camden Cornelius threw the final three innings.
The Monarchs’ bats didn’t waste time in providing support for Harrell. JJ Spafford led off with a walk, Jeter Worthley singled, and Dylan Bell blasted a three-run home run.
Jake Knox belted an RBI double two innings later, giving the Monarchs a 4-0 lead. Spafford, Bell and Jackson Legg drove in runs in the Monarchs’ three-run fourth inning, and Worthley’s RBI single in the seventh inning brought in the final run.
The Monarchs were able to get their coaches in the batting order during the eighth inning. Stoecklein batted with one out and was hit by a pitch for the 20th time in a Monarchs uniform. With two outs, Lippoldt batted and skied a high fly ball down the left field line that fell for a single.
The Monarchs return to action Tuesday at Haysville, the start of a three-game road trip and two straight in Haysville.
