Carson Umphres went 3 for 3 with four RBIs, and the Hutchinson Monarchs shook off a slow start Tuesday and beat the Wichita Black Sox 11-1 at Hobart-Detter Field.
The game ended during the bottom of the seventh inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.
The Monarchs hadn’t played in four days, and the sluggishness early was evident as after three innings, the game was scoreless.
The Black Sox scored first in the top of the fourth inning, but then, the Monarchs’ bats came to life. Brice Wallar led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a double and scored on Umphres’ single. James Dagenhart followed with an RBI triple, giving the Monarchs the lead for good.
The next inning, Jackson Schanuel doubled home Nash Wray, and then Wallar smacked a two-run triple. Wallar then scored on an error, making it a 6-1 lead for the Monarchs.
The Monarchs tacked on three runs in the sixth inning on Umprhes’ bases-loaded double. In the seventh inning, Cole Toureau singled and moved to second base on a wild pitch. He scored after Wray singled, and then a fielding error. Wray sauntered around the bases on another error, ending the game.
Kevyn Velazco was the winning pitcher, giving up a run on two hits in two innings.
Three Monarchs pitchers – Dayton Hicks, Velazco and Camden Cornelius – combined to strike out 15 batters out of 21 total outs.
The Monarchs improved to 17-7 and return to Hobart-Detter Field at 7 p.m. Wednesday to take on the Junction City Brigade.
