Cole Toureau gave up one unearned run on two hits in five innings, while striking out nine, and the Hutchinson Monarchs ended the regular season with a 6-1 win on Friday against the Wichita Wildcats at Hobart-Detter Field.
The win was the Monarchs’ second in a row after dropping two to Junction City. After giving up 27 runs in 14 innings against Junction City, the Monarchs allowed one in the final 18 innings of the regular season.
The Monarchs gave Toureau enough run support in the first inning with four runs. Jeter Worthley led off and walked. Jake Gutierrez followed with a single, and Worthley would score on Blake Bradford’s single. Then with the bases loaded and one out, Jackson Legg Dylan Bell and Keegan Demmer had consecutive walks.
The Monarchs tacked on two more runs in the third inning. Legg had an RBI double and Demmer drove in another run with a single.
That was enough for the pitching. Brady Pacha relieved Toureau and threw two shutout innings. Riley Dickey and Mitchell Johnson each pitched a perfect inning apiece to finish the game.
The Monarchs finish the regular season 27-7 overall and 25-7 in Jayhawk Collegiate League play. They won the league by 4.5 games.
The Monarchs set a single-season attendance record with 6,346 fans coming this summer to Hobart-Detter Field.
Saturday, the Monarchs will host the league’s annual all-star game, which starts at 7 p.m.
The Monarchs’ next game will be at the NBC World Series at Wichita State. The Monarchs, 2023 NBC champions and 2024 runners-up, will learn their tournament draw next week.
