BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
COLBY — Hoisington pitcher Derek Boxberger threw a one-hit shutout to spark a 10-0 victory over Colby to secure a berth in the AA state baseball tournament. Tommy Cline singled for Colby’s lone base hit.
Hoisington (14-7) joins Silver Lake (31-4), Sabetha (29-10), Iola (19-5), Hays-Thomas More Prep (15-4) and Garnett (12-14) at Sabetha July 25-29. Hoisington also qualified for AA state baseball last year.
“Derek Boxberger threw an outstanding game. He throws a good fastball and curveball for strikes,” said Hoisington coach Bob Brungardt. “Anytime, you qualify for the state tournament. it’s been a successful summer. Qualifying two years in a row is special.”
Brungardt said Hoisington’s players have improved over the summer.
“We’ve played a good schedule that’s prepared us,” he said. “We’ve been playing pretty clean baseball this summer. We have decent pitching depth. We’ve hit the ball better as we’ve gone along. We have the tools to be competitive at the state tournament. Our state experience last year will definitely help us.”
The AA state format has changed to a guarantee of three pool games with the top four teams qualifying for the AA semifinals. The AA Kansas state champion will play the AAA Kansas state champion for a Legion regional trip to New Orleans.
HOISINGTON 10, COLBY 0 — Jeremy Breit drove home three runs to lead the Hoisington offense. Kaleb Blazek and Kyle Lang each drove home two runs.
Blazek doubled home Collin Schlochtermeier and Breit doubled home Blazek in the first inning.
Schlochtermeier scores on Breit’s third-inning groundout and Lang’s double scored Blazek for a 4-0 lead.
Hoisington secured a run-rule victory with a six-run fourth inning. Blazek, Lang and Jerrod Bieberle forced home runs on bases-loaded walks. Breit’s single scored Schlochtermeier. Breit scored on Jacob Sprecht’s groundout for a 9-0 lead. Lang scored on a balk by pitcher Tommy Cline.
HAYS-TMP 12, HOISINGTON 7 — Monarch Chase Werth drove home four runs to spark a hard-fought 12-7 championship victory that clinched a state berth. The Monarchs have beaten Hoisington four times this summer.
“TMP has gotten us every time. They take advantage when we walk a couple batters or give them an error,” Brungardt said.
Werth’s two-run double started a four-run first inning. Luke Ruder delivered a sacrifice fly and Adam Gottschalk’s double produced a 4-0 lead.
Hoisington rallied for a 4-4 tie. Kade Urban’s second-inning single scored Bieberle. Schlochtermeier’s double scored Trey Byers. Blazek’s single scored Urban and Schlochtermeier.
Werth’s RBI third-inning single scored Gavin Schumacher. Schumacher delivered an RBI single and Werh added a sacrifice fly. Ruder and Gottschalk added RBI singles for a 9-4 lead.
Breit’s sixth-inning bases-loaded walk forced home Schlochtermeier. Carlos Schwindt and Trent Mayo drove home Monarch sixth-inning runs.
Urban’s triple scored Byers and Scholchtermeier’s single scored Urban for a 12-7 final.
Hoisington 202 6 — 10 6 0
Colby 000 0 — 0 1 0
Boxberger and Breit. Weese, Cline (4) and Branum. W—Boxberger. L—Weese. 2B—H—Blazek, Breit, Lang.
Hoisington 040 001 2 — 7 9 3
Hays-TMP 410 403 x — 12 10 3
Breit, Donovan (5) and Blazek. Werth, Mayo (6) and Renz. W—Werth. L—Breit. 2B—H—Schlochtermeier; TMP—Gottschalk, Schwindt, Werth. 3B—H—Urban.
