MAIZE, Kan. — The Hutchinson High School Salthawks baseball team picked up a hard fought split on Friday evening in Maize, winning game one, 3-2, and falling in game two, 6-3.
The Salthawks are now 13-9 overall and will travel to Goddard on Saturday to continue its suspended game at Eisenhower, beginning at 12 p.m. The Salthawks currently lead the Tigers, 4-3, in the bottom of the third inning of game one. The game was suspended due to weather on Tuesday.
Game 1: Hutchinson 3, Maize 2
Lakin Franz struck out the final five batters he faced to slam the door shut on the Eagles, earning just the second win over Maize in the past 10 years.
Franz came in relief of JuJu Lyons who went 3 1/3 innings on the hill. Franz struck out seven of the 12 batters faced and only allowed one baserunner, a walk issued in the fifth. He then retired the final nine batters he saw.
Hutchinson took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single from Jack Yoder, scoring Cole Bleything, who singled two batters earlier.
Maize rallied in the fourth inning with its first five batters reaching safely, but were only able to get two runs from it.
The Salthawks wasted no time to tie and regain a lead in the top of the fifth inning. Caiden Beavers doubled off the fence in left, followed by a walk to Bleything. Beavers scored from third on a pickoff attempt to tie the game at two. Bleything then scored on an error to give the Salthawks the 3-2 lead.
Landon Parks was the lone Salthawk batter with a multi-hit game, going 2 for 3 at the dish.
Hutchinson - 100 020 0 - 3 7 0
Maize - 000 200 0 - 2 3 2
WP: Lakin Franz (1-1). LP: Easton Roth (4-2). Time: 1:50.
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Game 2: Maize 6, Hutchinson 3
Maize starting pitcher Cooper Tannahill improved his record to 8-0 and continued his sub-zero earned run average, as he tossed a complete game on the mound, striking out six Salthawks.
Maize scored one in the second and one more in the third to take a 2-0 lead.
Hutch scored three in the fifth inning thanks to four Maize errors. The Salthawks only recorded two singles in the inning, but took advantage of the Eagle miscues to grab the 3-2 lead.
The Eagles responded with two in the fifth to regain a 4-3 lead and then added two more in the sixth inning to seal the deal.
Franz, Carter Morgan, Jack Davis and Merrick Giles each had a hit apiece for the Salthawks in the loss.
Eastyn Keeler suffered the loss on the mound, going 4-plus innings, allowing five hits, four runs, striking out one and walking five.
Hutchinson - 000 030 0 - 3 4 2
Maize - 011 022 x - 6 9 4
WP: Cooper Tannahill (8-0). LP: Eastyn Keeler (2-3). Time: 1:37.