McPHERSON, Kan. – McPherson High School’s varsity baseball team started the 2025 season on the right foot, getting two run-rule victories over Valley Center Tuesday, March 25, winning 14-4 in five innings in game one and 11-1 in six innings in game two.
GAME 1 – W 14-4 (5)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | ||
| VCHS: | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | X | 4 | 3 | 4 | ||
| MHS: | 2 | 9 | 0 | 3 | X | X | X | 14 | 10 | 2 |
A nine-run second inning ballooned McPherson to an offensive onslaught against the Hornets in game one of the doubleheader. The Bullpups had 10 hits, walked five times, and reached on four errors and three hit-by-pitches. The pitching staff only needed two pitchers as senior Carter Allen got the start and the win. Junior Cowen Huggard closed it off with a two-inning shutout.
Seven of the nine Bullpups in the batting order got an RBI in the game, two of which had multiple runs driven in. Only two hits went for extra bases, but the “keep the line moving” mentality of the offense worked to perfection for the Bullpups.
Valley Center had four runs, but all of which were in the second inning. The Hornets only had three hits on the contest.
Batting: C. Bengtson: 1-2, RBI, 3 R | B. Seidl: 2-3, BB, 2 R | C. Allen: 0-3, BB, RBI, R | B. Richardson: 1-4, RBI, 2 R | C. Strathman: 1-2, BB, RBI, R | I. Razak: 2-3, 2 RBI, BB, R | C. Huggard: 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI, R | I. Barnett: 0-2, BB | B. Doile: 1-2, 2B, RBI, R
Pitching: C. Allen (W, 1-0) – 3.0 IP, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 4 K, 2 BB | C. Huggard – 2.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 K, 2 BB
GAME 2 – W 11-1 (6)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | ||
| VCHS: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| MHS: | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | X | 11 | 11 | 2 |
The momentum on offense carried over from game one to the first inning of game two. A five-pitch first inning for Ian Razak led to a 6-hit, 4-run bottom of the 1st for the Bullpups. The next two innings went by without too much excitement, but Razak was able to get out of jams where Valley Center had a leadoff man in scoring position, allowing no runs in those innings.
Valley Center finally got on the scoreboard with a run in the 4th inning, but McPherson gave themself a bigger cushion with a 3-run answer. A four-run bottom of the 6th ended the game on the run rule, capped off by a three-run double by Razak.
Eight different batters had base hits, led by Carter Allen and Ian Razak who had multiple hits and four RBI’s each. Razak threw a complete game, albeit a six-inning game, but did so in 61 pitches in total. In all, only three pitchers were used in the double-header, leaving the pitching staff open for Thursday’s twin bill.
Batting: C. Bengtson: 1-2, 2B, BB, SB, 3 R | B. Seidl: 1-3, BB, SB, 2 R | C. Allen: 3-4, 2B, 4 RBI | B. Richardson: 1-3, BB, 2 R | C. Strathman: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R | I. Razak: 2-3, 2B, 4 RBI | C. Huggard: 1-3 | I. Barnett: 1-2, 2B, RBI, BB, R | B. Doile: 0-2
Pitching: I. Razak (W, 1-0): 6.0 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 K, 0 BB
The varsity team is 2-0 on the year. They will have their divisional opener Thursday, March 27 at home against Augusta. The doubleheader will begin at 4:00 p.m.
The games will be broadcast on adastraradio.com and the Ad Astra Radio app on Sports 1. The games will not broadcast on 98.9/1540 KMCP due to March Madness.
JV & C-Team Scores
Junior Varsity:
- Tuesday, March 25 vs. Valley Center:
- Game 1: W 4-3
- Game 2: L 13-5
- Next games: March 27 vs. Augusta
C-Team:
- Monday, March 24 at Hutchinson:
- Game 1: W 11-5
- Game 2: W 6-2
- Next games: April 3 at Buhler
