Standing in front of a packed crowd, the 2018 Salina Falcons state championship squad smiled, sporting flashy rings from a historic season.

Hutchinson didn’t flash the jewelry. Instead, Hutch unveiled plans to spoil Opening Day.

Starter Ryan Cherry limited Salina’s bats, Hutchinson capitalized with five runs in two innings and went on to down the Falcons, 6-2, Wednesday night at Dean Evans Stadium. Salina dropped to 2-2-1 on the early season.

The Falcons wasted no time getting a run. In the bottom of the first, second baseman Cason Long blasted a triple to the right field wall, scoring Brogen Richardson. That knock ended up being just one of five hits for the night.

Salina starter Cade Hannert held Hutch quiet, coughing up a hit, walking one and striking out four in three innings of work. The Falcons ran into trouble when Jonas Baughman entered in the fourth.

Hutch opening the fourth with a single by Kaden Goldsmith. Following a sacrifice bunt, designated hitter Kaylor Dixon shot the gap to right to knot up the score at 1-all. Later, Hutch loaded the bases and scratched across the second run of a RBI single by Weston Kraus, but the third run was thrown out at home.

Sporting a one-run cushion, Cherry kept the Falcons guessing, allowing just three hits from innings five through seven. He scattered five hits, two runs, three walks and recorded six strikeouts in six and a third innings. Dixon and Goldsmith had a two pair of hits and RBI for the game.

Long was responsible for both Salina runs. Baughman was one of five pitchers used, taking the loss.

Other games
Salina Hawks 13, Hutch 0 in 4 innings
Salina Eagles 13, Hutch 3 in 4 innings