Defending NBC champion Monarchs receive 2024 tournament bid

The NBC World Series office announced that 10 teams have received bids for the 2024 NBC World Series which will begin on July 25 at Eck Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University.

The 10 teams receiving bids are:

• Hutchinson Monarchs, Jayhawk Collegiate League, 2023 NBC defending champions

• Santa Barbara Foresters, California Collegiate League, 2023 NBC runner-ups

• Seattle Cheney Studs, Pacific International League

• Seattle Black Fins, Pacific International League

• Boulder Collegians, Mile High Collegiate Baseball League

• California Halos, California Premier League

• Haysville Aviators, Jayhawk Collegiate League, 2024 first-half champions

• Top Prospect Academy Texas American Amateur Baseball Congress, Stan Musial Texas World Series Champion

• Liberal Beejays, Rocky Mountain Collegiate Baseball League

• Hays Larks, Rocky Mountain Collegiate Baseball League.

More teams will qualify for the tournament in the next week.

NBC Tournament Schedule:

Thursday, July 25: 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Friday, July 26: Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 27 (Baseball ‘Round the Clock): Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 9 p.m., midnight.

Sunday, July 28 (Baseball ‘Round the Clock): 3 a.m., 6 a.m., 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. (Military Exhibition Game, McConnell AFB vs Seattle Studs, BRTC ends)

Monday, July 29: Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 30: Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 31: Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 1: Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 2 (Semifinals): 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 3 (Finals): 7 p.m.

Hutchinson ‘Visitors’ roll past Diamond Kings

The Hutchinson Monarchs (the visitors on the scoreboard) rolled past the Diamond Kings 15-4 (8 innings, run rule) Saturday night in front of 385 fans at Hobart-Detter Field.

“It was hot today. It was windy today,” said the Monarchs on social media. “We love our fans. You guys are the best. Thank you.”

The Monarchs scored one run in the top of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead.

Brett Smajstria (Sam Houston State/Pearland, Texas) scored Camden Johnson (Wichita State University/Boerne, Texas) on a ground out.

The Diamond Kings scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead.

The Monarchs scored four runs in the top of the fourth to take a 5-2 lead and Hutchinson pitcher Reed Scott retired the side 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourth.

With one in the top of the fourth inning, Hutchinson’s Austin Coyle (Cloud County CC/Kamloops, British Columbia) tripled into the left field corner and Zerick Warren (Stephen F. Austin/Elkhart, Texas) walked to put runners at the corners.

Coyle scored on Majstria’s fielder’s choice ground to push Hutchinson’s lead to 6-2.

Majstria moved up two second base on a wild pitch and Cooper Wesslund (Hutchinson CC/UNO/Lincoln, Neb.) walked.

Jaden Gustafson (Wichita State University/Wichita) doubled in two runs for an 8-2 Hutchinson lead.

The Monarchs went to the bullpen in the bottom of the fifth for pitcher Bradyn McClure (Butler CC/Wichita Kapaun Mount Carmel). McClure tired Diamond Kings 1-2-3.

In the top of the sixth inning, Hutchinson’s Sam Wiese (Eastern Illinois University/Omaha) and Johnson both walked on four straight pitches and Coyle singled to load the bases.

Warren was hit by a pitch to score Wiese with the Monarchs’ ninth run.

A balk scored Johnson and a sacrifice fly by Smajstria scored Coyle to push the Monarchs’ lead to 11-2.

The Diamond Kings scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Monarchs’ lead to 11-4.

The Diamond Kings brought in their fourth pitcher of the night in the top of the seventh inning and he was greeted by a single off the bat of Blake Bradford (Hutchinson CC/Kansas State University/Sylvania, Ohio).

After a groundout moved up the runners, Johnson singled to score Bradford to make the score 12-4.

With one out in the top of the eighth inning, Jarrett Flaggert (Cowley County CC/Wichita State transfer/Choctaw, Okla.) stroked a two-run double to make the score 14-4. Johnson’s ground-rule double scored Floaggert with the Monarchs’ 15th and final run.

Garrett Folmar (Southeast Arkansas CC/Wichita Falls, Texas) pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth inning for the Monarchs, who won the game on the run rule.

Hutchinson, which defeated the Diamond Kings 13-0 in a seven-inning run-rule game Friday night at Hobart-Detter Field, improved to 22-7 overall and 11-1 in Jayhawk Collegiate League play. 

The Diamond Kings dropped to 5-19 overall and 2-10 in league play.

After an off day Sunday, the Monarchs host the Wichita Back Sox at 7 p.m. Monday.

The Hutchinson Base Ball Club teams (Salt Packers and Prairie Dogs) played an exhibition game Saturday night before the start of the Monarchs-Diamond Kings game.

Remaining Hutchinson Monarchs 2024 Schedule

Monday — Wichita Black Sox, Hobart-Detter Field, Carey Park.

Tuesday — Wellington Heat, Hibbs Hooton Stadium, Wellington.

Thursday — Kansas Cannons, Hobart-Detter Field, Carey Park.

Friday — Kingman Islanders, Hobart-Detter Field, Carey Park.

Saturday — Hutchinson Monarchs NBC Autograph Session, 11 a.m. Scheel’s Sporting Goods Store, Wichita.

July 25-Aug. 3 — 90th National Baseball Congress Tournament, Wichita State University’s Eck Stadium (‘Round the Clock Baseball July 27).

Halstead’s Callyn Divine 2-2 at 16U nationals wrestling tournament

Halstead High School sophomore-to-be-Callyn Divine posted a 2-2 record Saturday in the 16 and under division at the 2024 AAU National Junior Championships at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D.

Divine finished in the Top 24 in what is billed as the world’s largest high school wrestling tournament.

The tournament is sponsored by the United States Marine Corps and USA Wrestling.

Divine drew a bye in the first round and won her Round of 64 match 10-0. After losing a tough match in the Round of 32, Divine won her consolation Round of 32 match 15-7. Divine lost in the consolation Round of 16.

Buhler girls soccer team compete at Overland Park tournament

Members of the Buhler High School girls soccer team competed in a summer tournament in Overland Park Saturday.

The Crusaders lost 4-1 to Liberal, 6-0 to eventual tournament champion Sumner Academy and lost to Christ Prep on penalty kicks after the score was tied 2-2 in regulation.

Kennedee Applegate scored Buhler’s goal in the Liberal match on an assist by Alyssa Berner.

Mikaela Jarrett and Applegate scored the Buhler goals in the Christ Prep match on assists by Sydney Lehl and Juliette Shank.

“I was proud of the girls and how hard they battled, especially the last match,” said Buhler coach Randall Rank. “It was brutally hot on that turf. This was the last tournament of the summer. Thanks to the girls and families for making the trip.”