Hutchinson Monarchs Set Attendance Record, Prepare for All-Star Game
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Monarchs wrapped up a record-breaking regular season with a 6-1 victory over the Wichita Wildcats Saturday night, drawing their largest crowd of the year and setting a new franchise attendance mark.
The Monarchs drew a capacity crowd of 353 at Hobart-Detter Field, pushing their season total to 6,346 fans—a new franchise attendance record that surpassed the previous mark of 6,210 set in 2012.
Right-hander Cole Toureau dominated on the mound, striking out nine over five innings while allowing one run on just two hits. The performance helped close out a dominant regular season for Hutchinson.
"Tonight was a great way to finish the regular season," said Monarchs manager Casey Lippoldt. "Cole gave us a big lift early, and the fans have just been unbelievable all summer."
The victory followed Thursday's 6-0 shutout win over Wichita in Rose Hill, where starter Pryce Bender tossed seven scoreless innings while striking out 10 and allowing just four hits.
The Monarchs jumped on Wichita for four runs in the first inning Saturday, aided by four consecutive walks and RBI singles from Jacob Gutierrez and Blake Bradford. They added two more runs in the third inning to build a commanding lead.
Keegan Demmer led the Monarchs at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double, a single, and an RBI. Jackson Legg reached base three times and drove in a run.
Hutchinson closes the regular season at 27-7, having already clinched the Jayhawk Collegiate League title.
Seeding for the NBC World Series will be announced Sunday.
The regular season finale also served as Reno County Food Bank Night, with fans encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations.
Streaming coverage of the All-Star Game will be available at HutchPost.com and MonarchsLive.tv.
The strong season performance and attendance figures highlight growing community support for summer collegiate baseball in Hutchinson, with the Monarchs positioning themselves as championship contenders heading into postseason play.
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