Leading after six innings Saturday, the Hutchinson Monarchs couldn’t hold on, as the Derby Twins scored seven times in the seventh inning and went on to a 13-6 win at Hobart-Detter Field.
Despite the lopsided score, the Monarchs matched Derby’s 14 hits. But the Monarchs squandered a couple of chances for big innings.
Most notable came in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Monarchs led 4-2, and loaded the bases with nobody out but failed to score.
The inning before, the Monarchs overturned a 2-1 deficit with a three-run inning. Tyson Vassart scored on a passed ball, Drew Bugner scored on Dylan Bell’s sacrifice fly, and Jarrett Herrmann singled home Keegan Demmer.
Ethan Giesbrecht started on the mound for the Monarchs and give up three runs on four hits in five innings while striking out seven. He took a no-decision.
Carson Harrell took the loss by giving up seven runs on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings. Aidan Sowers pitched the rest of the way.
Jake Gutierrez led the Monarchs with four hits and a pair of RBIs in his debut, while Jackson Legg added three hits and one RBI.
The Monarchs fall to 14-5 overall and 13-5 in the Jayhawk Collegiate League. Their lead over Great Bend was reduced to a half game and 1 1/2 games over Derby.
The Monarchs play again at 6 p.m. Sunday vs. the Kansas Cannons at Hobart-Detter Field.
