Wichita State hitter sends Kansas Cannons to NBC World Series semis with game-winner

With the field at the National Baseball Congress World Series cut down to the quarterfinals, the Jayhawk Collegiate League made up three of the final eight teams left.

In fact, it was two Jayhawk teams who played one of the more thrilling games of the summer tournament so far in Thursday morning’s quarterfinals.

The Derby Twins managed to erase a three-run deficit twice to force extra innings, but it was the Kansas Cannons who emerged with a 9-8 victory to punch their ticket to Friday’s semifinals.

The Hutchinson Monarchs, the regular-season Jayhawk champions, defeated the Liberal Bee Jays, 15-4, on Wednesday and are slated to play the Santa Barbara Foresters in a quarterfinal game later Thursday.

So far only Jayhawk teams have lost to other Jayhawk teams, as the Cannons eliminated the Haysville Aviators, 6-3, in the opening round of bracket play on Wednesday.

In NBC rematch on Thursday, the Twins jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the Cannons with back-to-back RBI singles by Nolan Ganter and Bryaden Luikart.

Hunter Alvord put the Cannons on the board with a lead-off home run in the top of the fifth inning, then Lane Haworth and Chase Diggins both drove in runs in the same innings. The Cannons tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth inning to open up a 5-2 lead when a dropped third strike led to a wild throw.

The Twins would also capitalize on a mistake in the bottom-half of the inning, as they plated three runs following two errors made by the Cannons, a botched throw home and an errant pick-off attempt to third base.

With the score tied entering the ninth inning, the Cannons strung together four straight hits to score three runs. The rally was sparked by back-to-back singles from Cooper Martin and Haworth, then Chase Diggins delivered a go-ahead, 2-RBI double and Mike Williamson followed with an RBI single.

But the Twins were up for the challenge of digging out of a three-run hole one more time, as Kade Sheldon blasted a two-run home run, then Luikart, a current Shocker, delivered a game-tying RBI single with two outs left.

Both teams stranded a runner at third base in the ninth inning.

Haworth, another current Shocker, saved his biggest hit of a 5-for-6 performance for last, as his RBI single with two outs proved to be the winning run in the top of the 10th inning.

The Cannons had to survive some nervy moments in the bottom-half of the inning, however.

Cannons reliever Landyn Sterling gave up a single, then loaded the bases with two straight hit-by-pitches. With the bases loaded and one out, Sterling escaped the jam when Derby’s Kenny Fistler popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt that Sterling caught, then whirled around and threw out the runner at third base for a sudden victory.

The Cannons will face the winner between the Foresters and Monarchs in Friday’s 6 p.m. semifinal.

Wednesday’s NBC World Series scores

Kansas Cannons 6, Haysville Aviators 3

Hutchinson Monarchs 15, Liberal Bee Jays 4

Lonestar Baseball Club 10, GPS Legends 7

Tulsa Sandlot 9, San Diego Stars 7

Thursday’s NBC World Series quarterfinals

Kansas Cannons 9, Derby Twins 8 (10 innings)

1:30 p.m.Hays Larks vs. Tulsa Sandlot

6: Santa Barbara Foresters vs. Hutchinson Monarchs

8:30: Seattle Studs vs. Lonestar Baseball Club