WICHITA – The Hays Larks scored five runs in the final two innings to down the Hutchinson Monarchs 7-3 for the 2024 NBC World Series championship.
Hays (34-8) had lost six NBC World Series championship games. Longtime Hays Larks coach Frank Leo earned his first NBC World Series title.
After trailing 3-0, Larks relievers Aidn Schmidgall, Matt Sapakoff, Adrian Najar, Dalton Campbell and Garrett Hicks combined for 5 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Hays Lark Wilbert Espinal doubled home Garrett Gruell and Espincal scored on Tabor Stokes' single for a 4-3 lead after eight innings.
The Larks ended with a 3-run ninth inning. Duncan scored on an error after three walks. Espinal doubled home Will Carpenter and Gruell for a 7-3 lead.
Former Great Bend Cougar and Bat Cat pitcher Ian Lanik yielded two runs and was tagged with the loss for Hutchinson. Former Bat Cat pitcher Cole Toureau yielded three ninth-inning runs after walking three consecutive batters.
Espinal drove in three runs for Hays. He, Baker and Gruell each collected a pair of hits for the Larks.
The Monarchs led 3-0 after two innings. Camden Johnson singled in Jack Gardner. Jarrett Flaggert scored on a bases-loaded walk. Cooper Wesslund scored on a Will Edmunson sacrifice fly.
Trent Baker scored on Kaleb Duncan's third-inning sacrifice fly. Duncan singled home Baker in the fifth inning.
The Great Bend Bat Cats split four games with Hutchinson in 2024.
MONARCHS 7, AUGUSTA CANNONS 5 — The defending NBC World Series champion Hutchinson Monarchs delivered ninth-inning magic to shock the Augusta Cannons 7-5 to qualify for Saturday's championship game.
The Monarchs scored three ninth-inning runs to steal the victory. Camden Johnson singled home Austin Coyle and Cooper Wesslund for a 6-5 lead. Brett Smajstrla scored on Sam Wiese's single for a 7-5 lead.
Buhler's Reed Scott preserved the victory with a ninth-inning save. Great Bend Bat Cat reliever Julio Heredia struck out one Cannon batter during a 4-run Cannons seventh inning.
The Cannons led 7-5 after a 4-run seventh inning. Lane Haworth and Chase Diggins scored on Mike Williamson's single for a 5-3 lead. Haworth singled in Christian Caruso and Cooper Martin scored on a bases-loaded walk for a 3-3 tie.
Monarchs Will Edmunson, Wiese and Reese Ratchford delivered RBI hits to score Johnson, Edmunson and Wiese in a 3-run sixth inning.
The Monarchs (31-9) had lost three times to the Cannons (28-14) during the Jayhawk Collegiate League season.
MONARCHS 3, FORESTERS 2 — The Hutchinson Monarchs ended the championship hopes for 10-time NBC World Series champion Santa Barbara Foresters. for the second consecutive year with a 3-2 victory Thursday.
The Monarchs downed the Foresters 6-3 in last year’s NBC championship game. Hutchinson (30-9) meets the Augusta Cannons (29-13) in Friday's semifinal showdown.
Former Great Bend Bat Cat Ian Lanik earned the save by pitching the ninth inning. Lanik struck out Johnny Rodriguez and Jackson Freeman to strand the tying runner at third base. Monarch starter Bradyn McClure struck out five batters in seven innings.
MONARCHS 15, LIBERAL 4 —Hutchinson routed the Liberal Bee Jays 15-4 Wednesday in the NBC Baseball World Series to earn a rematch with the Foresters. Jaden Gustafson drove in three runs and Camden Johnson drove in two runs. The Monarchs scored 11 fifth-inning runs off Josh Doerr and Rylan Figueroa.
The Jayhawk Collegiate League featured Derby, Haysville, Augusta and Hutchinson as bracket qualifiers.
2024 NBC WORLD SERIES
CHAMPIONSHIP—Hays Larks 7, Hutchinson Monarchs 3
SEMIFINALS—Hutchinson Monarchs 5, Augusta Cannons 5; Hays Larks 7, Lonestar Baseball 3
QUARTERFINALS—Hays Larks 4, Tulsa Sandlot 2; Lonestar Baseball 6, Seattle Studs 2; Augusta Cannons 9, Derby Twins 8, 10 innings; Hutchinson 3, Santa Barbara Foresters 2
WEDNESDAY—Augusta Cannons 6, Haysville Aviators 3; Hutchinson Monarchs 15, Liberal Bee Jays 4; Lonestar Baseball 10, GPS Legends 7; Tulsa Sandlot 9, San Diego Stars 7
Q—BRACKET QUALIFIER
POOL A—Hutchinson Monarchs 5, TPA Texas 2; Seattle Studs 9, Tulsa Sandlot 0; Seattle Studs 5, TPA Texas 1; Tulsa Sandlot 7, Hutchinson Monarchs 6; Tulsa Sandlot 4, TPA Texas 0; Seattle Studs 17, Hutchinson Monarchs 6; Q—Seattle Studs 3-0; Q—Tulsa Sandlot 2-1; Q—Hutchinson Monarchs 1-2; TPA Texas 0-3
POOL B—Haysville Aviators 3, Seattle Blackfins 1; Santa Barbara, Calif. Foresters 2, GPS Legends 0; Santa Barbara 3, Seattle Blackfins 2; Haysville 7, GPS Legends 6; Santa Barbara 12, Haysville Aviators 6; GPS Legends def. Seattle Blackfins; Q—Santa Barbara 3-0; Q—Haysville Aviators 2-1; Q—GPS Legends 1-2; Seattle Blackfins 0-3
POOL C—San Diego Stars 7, Boulder, Colo. Collegians 5; Derby Twins 9, Liberal Bee Jays 6; Derby Twins 8, Boulder Collegians 3; Liberal 11, San Diego Stars 7; San Diego Stars 6, Derby Twins 3; Liberal 13, Boulder Collegians 9; Q—Derby Twins 2-1; Q—Liberal Bee Jays 2-1; Q—San Diego Stars 2-1; Boulder Collegians 0-3
POOL D—Lonestar Baseball 2, Augusta Cannons 1; Hays Larks 8, Air Capital Flyers 0; Lonestar Baseball 11, Air Capital Flyers 1; Hays Larks 11, Augusta Cannons 8; Augusta Cannons 9, Air Capital Flyers 0; Hays Larks 7, Lonestar Baseball 0; Q—Hays Larks 3-0; Q—Lonestar Baseball 2-1; Q—Augusta Cannons 1-2; Air Capital Flyers 0-3
