Wichita - The Hutchinson (KS) Monarchs dethroned the 10-time champion Santa Barbara Foresters (CA)with a 6-3 victory Saturday in the championship game of the 89th National Baseball Congress World Series. The title came in the Monarchs’ first time in the championship game and broke a three-year run of Forester championships. It also broke Santa Barbara’s 20-game winning streak in the tournament and 10-game winning streak in the finals.
Hutchinson (6-0) capitalized on a Santa Barbara error in the fifth to score a pair of unearned runs on a Will Edmunson double. Cooper Harris doubled in a run and scored another in the sixth, and Jaden Gustafson hit a two-run homer in the seventh.
Winning pitcher Cole Toureau stymied the Forester offense through 7⅓ innings, allowing a run on Will Rogers’ base hit and departing after a Daniel Patterson double in the eighth. Santa Barbara (5-1) got two runs in the inning and brought the tying run to the plate, but a Derick Johnson strikeout quelled the threat. Reed Scott retired the side in order with two strikeouts to close out the game and earn his secondsave. Jarrett Flaggert had three hits and scored a run, while Gustafson scored twice.
Carson Turnquist took the loss, allowing the two unearned runs in 4⅔ innings, while two relievers each gave up a pair of runs. Max Belyeu paced the Santa Barbara offense with two hits, a run scored and one knocked in.
The championship was the first for a Kansas team since Liberal Bee Jay title in 2010 and the Kansas Stars’ ex-pro team in 2017. The game was only the second time since knockout round play began in 2016 that two undefeated teams met in the finals.
The Monarchs led the tournament with a .360 batting average and was fourth with a 2.39 ERA.
The Foresters led in pitching and fielding coming into the finals, but finished second in ERA at 2.12 and second in fielding with a .979 mark.
Tournament MVP Max Buettenback went 1-for-3 to finish with a .524 average with 10 runs scored 11 hits and 10 RBIs.
Wednesday Bracket Play - Single Elimination
Lonstar Baseball 19, Arlington Baptist 3
Denver Cougars 6, Liberal Bee Jays 5
Five Tool Kraken 9, Hays Larks 2
Great Bend Bat Cats 17, Seattle Blackfins 6
Thursday Quarterfinals
Hutchinson Monarchs 11, Lonestar Baseball 1
Santa Barbara Foresters 3, Denver Cougars 0
Five Tool Kraken 6, Kansas Cannons 3
Seattle Studs 6, Great Bend 1
Friday Semi-Finals
Hutchinson Monarchs 17, Five Tool Kraken 0
Santa Barbara Foresters 5, Seattle Studs 0
Saturday Championship
Hutchinson Monarchs 6, Santa Barbara Foresters 3