Kansas high school baseball scores: The 10 regional title games you need to know
Regional championships in Kansas high school baseball were decided this week around the state.
The highlight from the week was the top three seeds in the Class 4A West bracket all going down in upsets, as Mulvane, Circle and Clearwater all had stunning victories in regional championship games.
Here are 10 regional champions to know from this week.
1. Mulvane upsets McPherson to win 4A regional title
One big inning was enough for Mulvane to hold onto one of the biggest upsets in Class 4A, as the Wildcats knocked off McPherson, 7-6, in a regional championship game in McPherson on Tuesday.
Mulvane (15-7) scored six runs in the top of the second inning to establish a 7-1 lead, as the Wildcats capitalized on McPherson’s pitching being unable to find the strike zone. Five of the six runs scored in the inning came as a result of a bases-loaded walk.
McPherson (18-4) chipped away at the lead, trimming Mulvane’s lead to 7-4 after three innings. Jaron Brown and Tytin Goebel helped McPherson score a pair of runs in the seventh inning to trim the deficit to a single run, but Mulvane’s Hunter Seier closed the door for the save.
2. Clearwater takes down top seed in Cinderella run to 4A state
No team in Class 4A had a more difficult road to the state tournament than Clearwater.
First, the Indians had to take down traditional power Andale-Garden Plain, which they did in a 6-2 win in the semifinals. Next, Clearwater had to beat the No. 1 overall seed on their home field, which it also did in a 3-1 victory at Pratt on Tuesday.
Clearwater (14-8) won a pitching duel, as Austin Carlson, Dylan Rich and Cole Keesling combined to throw a two-hitter. Rich and Keesling combined to throw 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for Clearwater in the championship game to notch the victory.
After Pratt (19-3) struck first in the third inning for a 1-0 lead, Clearwater took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning on a pair of miscues by Pratt. Clearwater added an insurance run in sixth inning on a sacrifice fly from Rich, while Keesling closed the game out.
3. Circle knocks off Buhler to advance to 4A state
Circle rallied early and held on late for an 8-6 victory over top-seeded Buhler in a regional championship game in Buhler on Thursday.
The Thunderbirds (15-7) scored all eight of their runs in the first four innings to build an 8-4 lead. Daniel Stovall hit a three-run home run and drove in four runs for the game, while Levi Nice, Jake Hagemann and Lane Willhite all finished with two hits.
Buhler (18-4) had the tying run on first base with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Circle’s Jake Shaults closed the door. Buhler was led by Ryan Henderson and Matt Eddy who both had two hits, including Eddy’s RBI triple in the seventh inning.
4. Derby routs its way to the 6A state tournament
Saben Seager threw a complete game shutout, as he struck out 11 hitters to lead Derby to a 13-0, run-rule victory over East in five innings in a Class 6A regional championship game on Thursday.
Coleson Syring led the Panthers (18-4) was led at the plate by Coleson Syring, who finished with three hits and five RBI’s. Kade Snodgrass and Mercer Thatcher each finished with two hits.
In another local 6A regional championship game at Friends on Wednesday, West saw a 17-4 season come to a close in a 3-1 loss in the title game against Lawrence Free State.
5. Andover Central heads to 5A state tournament with best record
Andover Central punched its ticket to the Class 5A state tournament with a 21-1 record, as the Jaguars survived a 4-3 scare in the first round then topped Goddard, 6-1, in the regional championship game hosted on its home field.
Rece Wilson earned the win against Goddard, allowing one earned run in five innings with six strikeouts. The Jaguars were led at the plate by Easton Elliot and Lou Blackman, who both had two hits and a run batted in for the championship game.
6. Bishop Carroll is back at state after dominant run
Bishop Carroll left no doubt in its regional tournament hosted at Westurban on Wednesday, as the Golden Eagles defeated Emporia, 12-0, in the semifinals, and Salina Central, 15-3, in the championship game.
Bishop Carroll improved to 21-1 heading into the state tournament.
Nine different Carroll players combined for 13 hits, as senior Oscar Gallardo led the way with three hits and three runs scored, while sophomore Tate Blasi delivered five RBI’s on two hits. Noah Ferguson picked up the win on the mound, while Jorey Faber pitched two innings of relief.
7. Maize South pulls off improbable win over Eisenhower for 5A bid
Maize South finished with just one hit in a regional championship game against Eisenhower, but capitalized on walks and errors to prevail 4-3 in Thursday’s title game to advance to the Class 5A state tournament.
Maize South (16-6) punched its ticket to the state tournament, while Eisenhower (14-8) saw its season end.
8. Belle Plaine upends undefeated top seed to punch 2-1A state ticket
Belle Plaine knocked off undefeated top seed Burden-Central in the semifinals of a 2-1A regional played in Goddard, then beat Cedar Vale-Dexter, 11-1, in the championship game on Wednesday in Rose Hill.
In the victory over Burden-Central, Belle Plaine (13-10) had RBI hits from Eli Wiseman, Isaac Bible, Colby Barton, Nolan Reynolds, Sonny Lipton, Tim Bible and Brecken McGinnis. Reynolds earned the win on the mound, allowing just one earned run in 6 1/3 innings pitched with 10 strikeouts.
9. Sedgwick, Hesston both punch tickets to state tournament
For the second straight season, Sedgwick is headed back to the 2-1A state tournament.
Sedgwick (21-1) completed a dominant run to a regional championship hosted at Marion, topping Moundridge, 12-0, in the semifinals, then Marion, 10-0, in the finals.
Meanwhile, Hesston came up clutch in three straight close games to punch its ticket to the Class 3A state tournament.
The Swathers started with a 5-2 win over host Council Grove in the opening round, then topped Eureka 4-3 in the semifinals and beat No. 1 seed Southeast of Saline, 4-3, in the championship game.
Hesston improved to 17-5, while Saline (21-2) suffered just its second loss of the season.
10. Collegiate-Cheney to square off in rematch for a 3A state bid
Both of the top seeds in the Kingman regional advanced to Friday’s championship game, as Collegiate (16-4) will play Cheney (16-4) in a 5 p.m. title game.
It will be a rematch from a doubleheader back in April when Collegiate swept the Cardinals by scores of 11-1 and 7-2.
Collegiate advanced to the title game with a 7-3 win over Halstead in the semifinals. Brady Hunt finished with a game-high three hits for Collegiate, while Drew Charbonneau drove in two runs at the plate, then picked up the win on the mound after pitching six innings, allowing no earned runs, and striking out 10 hitters.
Meanwhile, Cheney’s pitching powered the Cardinals to the championship game. Blake Molyneaux threw a complete game shutout in Cheney’s opening-round 2-0 victory over Trinity Academy, while senior Logan Bartlett followed that up by allowing one earned run in a complete game performance in Cheney’s 7-1 win over Kingman in the semifinals. Bartlett, Harrison Voth and Jack Gregory all finished with two hits at the plate and all drove in a run.
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