JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
HAYS POST

MANHATTAN – Chase Werth hit a game-winning three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday lifting the TMP-Marian Monarchs to a 5-2 win over Wellsville in the first round of the 3A State Baseball Tournament in Manhattan. 

Dusty Washburn post-game interview

The Monarchs took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Luke Ruder drew a bases loaded walk. 

After the Monarchs took the early lead both starting pitchers really settled making runs hard to come by. 

Monarch starter Cole Zimmerman was able to work out of a couple of early jams until the fourth inning when Wellsville’s Jackson Showalter delivered a two-run triple in the top of the fourth giving the Eagles a 2-1 lead. 

TMP got the run back in the bottom of the sixth inning on an infield single by Adam Gottschalk.  

It appeared that the Monarchs took the lead back when the next batter, pitch-hitter Eston Brown lined a pitch all the way to the wall in left-center that scored a pitch runner from first. But Wellsville appealed to first, claiming that Brown failed to touch first. He was called out and the run was disallowed. 

With the game still tied at two in the bottom of the seventh the Monarchs got a leadoff single from Creighton Renz, who was 3-for-3 in the game. Then after a sacrifice bunt and Gavin Schumacher was hit by a pitch and Wellsville was forced to bring in a reliever to face Werth. 

 The Senior delivered with a three-run homerun sending the Monarchs to the 5-2 win a Friday’s state semifinals. 

Fellow Senior Cole Zimmerman allowed just two runs on five hits over seven innings. He struck out seven and walked two as he improved to 8-1 on the season.

Game highlights

 

The Monarchs will play the winner of No. 4 Riley County and No. 5 Humboldt at 1:15 p.m. Friday.