By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
HAYS – Three TMP pitchers held Russell to just a pair of runs on six hits and struck out 24 hitters Friday as the Monarchs picked up a doubleheader sweep of the Broncos at TMP Field.
GAME 1: TMP 11, Russell 1
The Monarchs took advantage of five Russell errors in the
first contest in an 11-1 victory.
Carson Liles earned the win on the mound for TMP. He allowed just one run and scattered five hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts over six innings.
The Monarchs' offense scored multiple runs in four of the six innings.
Liles, who hadn’t taken an at-bat all season while recovering from a hand injury, doubled with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning to put TMP up 3-0.
In the third, the Monarchs scored a run on an error and a wild pitch for a 5-0 lead.
Ty Schmidler doubled in a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, Grant Nehls added an RBI ground out, and Liles drove in his fourth run of the game with a single, putting TMP up 9-0
After Russell got a run back in the top of the sixth, TMP scored on a Caden Dinkel double, and Adler Brown was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, giving TMP the 11-1 run-rule victory.
Carson Liles finished two-for-three with four RBI’s. Ty Schmeidler scored three times, drove in two, and walked twice.
GAME 2: TMP 3, Russell 1
In the second game of the doubleheader, TMP’s Ty Schmeidler
turned in four and a third hitless innings with just one run allowed, a one
walk and nine strikeouts as the Monarchs picked up the 3-1 victory.
Caden Dinkel put the Monarchs on the board in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI single. It appeared the Russell centerfielder had thrown out the TMP runner at the plate, but the ball popped out of the catcher's glove.
It was a 1-0 TMP lead in the third when Grant Nehls singled in a pair of runs, giving the Monarchs a 3-0 lead.
That would be more than enough offensive support for Schmeidler and company.
Grant Nehls earned the save. He struck out five and allowed one hit in two and two—thirds innings.
Ian Nehls scored two runs and walked twice.
TMP improved to 14-2 with the victory and finished 6-0 in the MCL. They travel to Salina on Monday to take on Sacred Heart before playing in the Diamond Classic next weekend.