PITTSBURG COLGAN 13, MARION 3 — Pittsburg Colgan was seeded eighth, but the Panthers routed Marion 13-3 for the school's state-record 21st state baseball championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex.
Kysen Bennett drove home three runs and Cooper Simmons and Carsten Simmons each drove in two runs. Pitcher John Potucek earned the victory for Colgan (15-11). Mitch Norris, Ian Ingels and Cole Smith each drove home a run for Marion (21-3).
PITTSBURG COLGAN 10, ONAGA 0 (SEMIFINAL) — Colgan pitcher Bennett threw a 2-hit shutout. Cooper Simmons drove in two runs with three hits. Tristan Voss drove home two runs. Carter Jacquinot, Carston Simmons, Colin Hite and John Potucek drove in runs.
MARION 16, ELKHART 8 (SEMIFINAL) — Ian Ingels drove home three runs and Hayden Mendoza and winning pitcher Mitch Norris each drove home two runs.
MARION 10, SEDGWICK 5 — Marion's Cole Smith drove in three runs and Mitch Norris and Eldon Smith each drove home two runs.
PITTSBURG COLGAN 12, LITTLE RIVER 5 — Little River's four errors and nine walks led to seven unearned Colgan runs for the 20-time state baseball champions. Tristan Voss drove home three runs and Kysen Bennett drove in two runs for the Panthers.
2-1A STATE GREAT BEND
1ST—Pittsburg Colgan 13, Marion 3; 3RD—Elkhart 3, Onaga 2; SEMIFINALS—Pittsburg Colgan 10, Onaga 0; Marion 16, Elkhart 8; FIRST ROUND—Pittsburg Colgan 12, Little River 5; Onaga 8, Medicine Lodge 7, 10 innings; Elkhart 2, KC Christian 0; Marion 10, Sedgwick 5
Brent Maycock, KSHSAA Covered
11 a.m.—Little River 20-1 vs. Pittsburg Colgan 12-11
LITTLE RIVER (20-1)
Coach Terry Renken
Key Players: Braden Young, sr., P-C-SS; Dalton Mantz, sr., P-C; Grant Stephens, sr., OF; Logan Renken, so., SS-2B; Kayston Cox, sr., 3B; Spencer Strecker, so., 2B; Corbin Herbst, sr., RF; Carter Stansbury, jr., LF; CJ Herzog, fr., 1B; Lakin Wage, fr., IF; David Crandall, fr., IF.
Redskins finished runner-up at 2022 state tournament, losing 5-4 to Mission Valley in the championship game after leading late in the game. … Little River also finished second in 2014 and qualified in 2012. … Renken won his 200th game this season. … Redskins swept Inman in midseason in a battle of unbeatens and only loss came to Remington (8-6). … Young is hitting .667 with 22 RBI, 52 runs scored and 35 stolen bases. … He’s also 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA. … Mantz is 8-0 with a 1.30 ERA and 68 strikeouts while also hitting .557 with 29 RBI. … Stephens is hitting .446 with 33 RBI. … Renken is hitting .623 with 37 RBI and is 5-0 with a 1.71 ERA and 48 Ks. … Cox (.492) and Strecker (.435) are over .400 hitting. … Program only has 11 players and could have to co-op next season.
PITTSBURG COLGAN (12-11)
Coach Mike Watt
Key Players: Cooper Simmons, jr., C-P; Carter Jacquinot, sr., P-IF; Kysen Bennett, jr., P-IF; Gus Keller, jr., P-OF; John Potusek, jr., P-IF.
Colgan owns 20 state titles, including 7 straight from 2004-10. … Panthers also have 13 runner-up state finishes and have qualified for state 50 times. … Bulk of losses came in 3A-heavy CNC League and four came to out-of-state programs. … Watt in 38th season as head coach and has 8 players on this year’s team whose dads also played for Watt. … Simmons leads team with .418 average and 21 RBI. … Bennett has 43 strikeouts in 32.2 innings pitched while Keller has 38 strikeouts and Potusek 25. … Jacquinot is hitting .292. … Colgan lost in quarterfinals to Colony-Crest last year, 5-33.
1:15—Onaga 18-3 vs. Medicine Lodge 19-4
ONAGA (18-3)
Coach Adam Kufahl
Key Players: Colby Simkins, sr., C-SS-P; Zac Fisher, sr., CF-3B-P; Jackson Kolterman, so., SS-P; Jeramia Dorsey, sr., 3B-2B.
Onaga earned first trip to state in the program’s third year of existence, beating Valley Falls 8-5 in the regional finals. … Buffaloes beat Valley Falls three times this season. … Buffaloes have won Twin Valley League title all three seasons. … Onaga also had sweep of 15-win Oskaloosa. … Only losses came to St. Marys, Troy and St. Mary’s Academy, all in doubleheader splits. … The 18 wins are 7 more than either of first two seasons, both .500 campaigns. … Buffaloes have scored 225 runs (10.7 per game) and allowed just 47 (2.2 per game). … Team is hitting .340 and has 24 home runs and 110 stolen bases while sporting a team ERA of 1.87. … Sinkins is hitting .597 with 4 home Runs, 42 RBI and 32 stolen bases. … He’s 7-2 with a 2.49 ERA and 68 strikeouts. … Fisher is hitting .483 with 3 homers 21 RBI, 40 runs scored and 28 stolen bases and is 9-0 with a 1.47 ERA and 75 strikeouts. … Kolterman had 5 HRs and 20 RBI and is hitting .412. … Dorsey also has 5 homers and 22 RBI and is hitting .361.
MEDICINE LODGE (19-4)
Coach Joe Dohrman
Key Players: Cauy Scripsick, sr., C-P; Carter Cunningham, jr., P-C-IF; Derrek Randels, jr., P-IF; Kye Gerdes, jr., OF; Keveon Ruiz, so., OF.
Indians at state for the first time since going back-to-back in 2015 and 2016, each of those trips ending with runner-up finishes. … Medicine Lodge has nine trips overall, capturing the 2-1A state championship in 2012. … Indians barely survived regional semifinals, winning 1-0 in 8 innings on a walk-off hit before topping top-seeded West Elk in finals. … Several starters helped basketball team to third-place state finish this season. … Scripsick is hitting .538 to lead team. .. Cunningham is hitting .511 and has 4 home runs. … Randels is hitting .392. … Gerdes has 15 stolen bases and is hitting .400. … Ruiz is hitting .447 with 7 doubles. … Only losses this season came to Wichita Trinity Academy (twice), Cheney and Kingman, the loss to Cheney in extra innings.
3:30—Elkhart 20-1 vs. KC Christian 15-8
ELKHART (20-1)
Coach David Aranda
Key Players: Cesar Gomez, sr., SS; Kage Ralstin, sr., P-IF; Austin Rich, sr., 1B-3B-P.
Wildcats have qualified for state six times in last nine seasons and 15 times overall since 1994. … Elkhart won state titles in 2002 and 2019 and finished runner-up in 1999, 2000 and 2001. … Wildcats were upset in quarterfinals last year by Little River in 7-5 loss. … Elkhart won fifth straight Hi-Plains League title. … Only loss this season was 4-2 to 6A Liberal. … Gomez is hitting .614 with 5 home runs, 35 RBI, 38 runs scored and 28 stolen bases. … He’s also 4-0 with a 0.63 ERA and 42 strikeouts. … Ralstin is 9-1 with a 0.64 ERA and 100 strikeouts while also hitting .426 with 31 RBI, 31 runs and 20 stolen bases. … Rich is hitting .513 with 20 RBI and is 3-0 with a 1.56 ERA and 36 strikeouts. … Gomez was the 2-1A player of the year last year s well as the Hi-Plains MVP.
KC CHRISTIAN (15-8)
Coach Jared Barker
Key Players: Ben Raschke, sr., P-IF; Brayden Burrow, sr., IF-P; Daniel Haivala, jr., IF-P; Ian Gatchell, jr., OF; Hudson Buresh, so., C.
Panthers making just third state appearance in program history, the last coming in 2019. … Program still seeking first state win, going 0-2 in previous trips. … Panthers finished runner-up in the Kaw Valley Conference to 3A qualifier Bishop Ward. … Raschke had a no-hitter against Olathe Heritage Christian this year, hitting a 3-run homer in the 3-0 win. … Panthers knocked off the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 seeds at regionals, including a 3-2 win over undefeated Colony-Crest in the regional championship. … Raschke is 8-0 with a 0.65 ERA and has 71 strikeouts. … He's also hitting .406 with 12 RBI. … Burrow is 3-1 with a 3.40 ERA and 48 strikeouts and is hitting .373 with 13 RBI. … Haivala is hitting .412 with 25 RBI and has 4 saves. … Gatchell and Buresh are both over .300 and Buresh has thrown out 10 base stealers. … Gatchell has 12 stolen bases. … Team ERA is 2.82 with 207 strikeouts.
5:45 p.m.—Marion 19-2 vs. Sedgwick 18-5
MARION (19-2)
Coach Roger Schroeder
Key Players: Jack Lanning, jr., U-P; Lander Smith, so., DH-1B-OF; Mitch Norris, sr., IF-P; Hayden Mendoza, sr., IF-P; Cooper Bailey, jr., OF-P; Gavin Wasmuth, jr., C.
Warriors making first state appearance since 2019, but sixth trip overall since 2013. … Marion was runner-up in 2019 to Elkhart, losing 3-2 in title game. … Warriors also took third in 2018 and second in 2017. … Warriors were Heart of America champions this year, going 12-0 in league play. … Only losses came to fellow 2-1A qualifier Little River. … Warriors swept quarterfinal foe Sedgwick, winning 16-1 and 3-2. … Lanning has played every position except first base and catcher and is hitting .532 with 23 RBI while also going 2-0 with 2 saves and a 2.44 ERA. … Norris is 5-0 with a 2.30 ERA and 46 strikeouts and is hitting .333 with 15 RBI. … Mendoza is 6-1 with a 1.59 ERA and 26 Ks. … Smith is hitting .420 with 28 RBI. … Wasmuth is hitting .383 with 26 RBI. … Bailey is hitting .370 with 21 RBI and is 4-1 with a 2.26 ERA.
SEDGWICK (18-5)
Coach Doug Mabry
Key Players: Christian Brown, sr., 3B-C; Aidan Noone, sr., OF-P; Sterling Lies, jr., IF-P; Jeff Nold, jr., OF; Jackson Scarlett, jr., IF-P; Corey Crumrine, so., IF-P.
Cardinals missed out on state tournament last year after capturing 2021 state title, beating Valley Falls 11-1 in title game to cap a 25-1 season. … Sedgwick also qualified in 2015 and 2019, losing in quarterfinals those years. … Cardinals had to replace 5 senior starters off last year’s team, but this year’s senior class has won 61 games in three seasons (2020 lost to COVID). … Four of five losses came to fellow 2-1A qualifiers Little River and quarterfinal foe Marion two of those losses either by one run or in extra innings. … Pitching staff didn’t walk a batter in regional play. … Crumrine leads team in wins (7) and strikeouts (73). … Nold is team leader in hits (29) and RBI (26). … Lies leads team in runs scored (41) and total bases (42). … Brown is hitting .339 with 23 RBI. … Scarlett is hitting .369 and Noone .312.
