CLASS 4A BASEBALL CAPSULES
 
At Dean Evans Stadium, Salina
 

 
ABILENE
 
Coach: Travis Bartley
 
Record: 16-10
 
Regional results: beat Concordia, 7-3; beat Pratt, 4-2.
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Fort Scott (2: 25-3), 11 a.m. Thursday
 
Key Players: Heath Hoekman, jr., 3B/SS/P; Thomas Keener, sr. SS/P; Ethan Evans, so., OF/C; Jake Bartley, so., 1B/OF/P; Nolan Wilkins, jr., 2B.
 
Worth noting: Cowboys making fourth straight state appearance, and is coming off best state showing in program history with third-place finish last spring. ... Cowboys lost 3-2 in semifinals to Pratt and beat Paola 10-9 for third. … Cowboys avenged state semifinal loss to Pratt by upsetting the Greenbacks in the regional title game after Pratt came in with a 23-4 record. … Cowboys handed fellow 4A qualifier and defending state champion Rock Creek one of only two of their league losses and also split with league foe and 4A qualifier Clay Center. … Keener and Bartley both threw complete games at regional with Bartley rebounding in title game after giving up two runs in first to blank Greenbacks the rest of the game. … He is 3-3 with 31 strikeouts and also is hitting .452 with 4 home runs and 43 RBI. … Hoekman is hitting .410 with 2 homers and 22 RBI and is 2-1 with a 2.58 ERA and 22 strikeouts. … Keener is 4-09 with a 3.06 ERA and 34 strikeouts and is hitting .397 with 2 homers and 24 RBI. … Wilkins is hitting .313 and Evans has 3 homers and 22 RBI. … Hoekman also has 14 stolen bases and Bartley and Keener have 10 each.
 

 
CLAY CENTER/WAKEFIELD
 
Coach: Andrew Bent
 
Record: 19-6
 
Regional results: beat Chapman, 12-2; beat Hoisington/Central Plains, 10-2.
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Paola (3: 25-3), 1:15 p.m. Thursday
 
Key Players: Cole Pladson, sr., OF/P; Miller Coffman, jr., OF; Jacob Cutshall, jr., 3B/P; Isaac Berggren, sr., IF/P; Rylan Gurney, fr., U/P.
 
Worth noting: Tigers making fourth trip to state in past five years and fifth overall, missing out only last season during that stretch when they were upset in regional finals by Circle. … Tigers finished runner-up in 4A in 2021, falling in the finals to Bishop Miege. … Three of four losses came to fellow North Central Kansas League rivals and 4A qualifiers Rock Creek (twice) and Abilene. … Tigers swept 5A qualifier Hays. … Pladson, an Oklahoma State signee, is hitting .587 with 12 home runs, 46 RBI and 46 runs scored. … Coffman is hitting .433 while Cutshall, Berggren and Gurney are all over .340.
 

 
FORT SCOTT
 
Coach: Josh Regan
 
Record: 25-3
 
Regional results: beat Coffeyville, 10-0; beat Wamego, 10-1.
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Abilene (7: 16-10), 11 a.m. Thursday
 
Key Players: Lennox Vann, sr., SS/P; Dub Chipman, sr., P/1B; Chayden Clayton, sr., 3B; Brody Gomez, sr., OF/2B; Colton Rogers, sr., C; Ty Marbery, sr., CF; Brady Messer, sr., P; Kanin Brown, jr., MI/P; Kaden Cannon, jr., OF/P; Dexter Williams, jr., 1B; Tyler Anderson, jr., P; Nathan Mintz, jr., DH.
 
Worth noting: Tigers back at state after missing out last year. … Tigers finished third in 2023, equaling their 2019 shooting. … Best state finish was runner-up finish in 1998. … Fort Scott also finished fourth in 2014, 2001 and 1991. … Tigers were undefeated Southeast Kansas League champions this year at 12-0, a first for the program, and was runner-up at the Adam LaRoche Tournament, losing to Blue Valley West. … Only other losses came to 4A qualifier Paola and Webb City (Mo.). … Tigers set school record for wins in a season. … Tigers hitting .319 as a team with 97 stolen bases. … Averaging 8.2 runs per game while allowing just 2.8. … Team ERA is 1.61.
 

 
MCPHERSON
 
Coach: Heath Gerstner
 
Record: 25-3
 
Regional results: beat Circle, 3-1; beat Buhler, 6-0.
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Tonganoxie (8: 16-11), 3:30 p.m. Thursday
 
Key Players: Brody Seidl, sr., CF; Ian Razak, sr., LHP/1B; Carter Allen, sr., RHP/ C; Logan Beede, sr., RHP; Brock Richardson, sr., SS; Isaac Barnett, sr., OF; Brenden Doile, sr., OF/3B; Carter Bengtson, so., 2B; Cade Strathman, jr., 3B; Cowen Huggard, jr., U.
 
Worth noting: Bullpups return to state having missed last year after winning back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023. … Trip to state is 10th overall for the program, which also includes a runner-up finish in 2015. … Bullpups set a new record for wins in a seaso.. ... McPherson shared the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail Division III league title with fellow 4A qualifier Mulvane. … McPherson has won at least a share of five consecutive league titles … Bullpups traveled to Oklahomsa and got key wins in beating 5A state qualifiers Carl Albert and Noble. … McPherson currently has four hitters who are hitting over .400, including Richardson, Allen, Bengtson, and Seidl. … Four other starters hit better than .300 with the Bullpups hitting .360 as a team. … Razak was the staff ace with a 8-1 mark and 0.14 ERA. … Beede was 4-1 with a 2.27 ERA, while Allen (0.48 ERA) and Strathman combined to go 10-1 with Allen also posting a save. … The Bullpups pitching staff struck out 180 hitters to just 66 walks on the season.  
 

 
MULVANE
 
Coach: Steve Nelson
 
Record: 21-4
 
Regional results: beat Andale/Garden Plain, 10-9; beat Wellington, 5-1.
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Rock Creek (5: 21-6), 5:45 p.m. Thursday
 
Key Players: Parker Clubb, jr., IF/OF/P; Hays Ensley, so., OF; Manny Myers, jr., OF/P; Braxton Madrigal, sr., IF/P; Brody Clasen, so, IF/P; Reed Hackleman, jr., C; Grey Sanders, jr., P; Nolan Fevurly, sr., P/IF; Brady Nelson, sr., 2B; Peyton Cooper, sr., SS.
 
Worth noting: State trip is first for program since 2021 when Wildcats fell in quarterfinals to Clearwater 3-2 and 13th overall in program history. … Wildcats’ lone state title came in 1986. … Mulvane started season 0-2 with one of losses to fellow 4A qualifier Fort Scott. … Only losses in Ark Valley Chisholm Trail III League play came to McPherson and Wellington in doubleheader splits and Wildcats beat Wellington in regional finals after surviving scare from Andale/Garden Plain. … Wildcats shared league title with McPherson, their first league title in seven years. ... Clubb is hitting team-high .362 with 3 home runs and 21 RBI. … Ensley is hitting .354 with 14 RBI and 14 stolen bases. … Myers is hitting .316 with 13 RBI and Clasen also has 13 RBI. … Madrigal has 18 RBI with 5 home runs. … Fevurly is 6-0 with a 1.42 ERA. … Clubb is 5-1 with a 0.93 ERA and 84 strikeouts. … Sanders has a 0.99 ERA with 95 strikeouts and is 6-1 with 2 saves. … Myers is 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 36 Ks. ... Staff has 298 strikeouts as a team, breaking team and state record for strikeouts by a team in a season.
 

 
PAOLA
 
Coach: Tony Brummer
 
Record: 25-3
 
Regional results: beat Chanute, 5-3; beat Baldwin, 14-1.
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Clay Center/Wakefield (6: 19-6), 1:15 p.m. Thursday
 
Key Players: Hunter Loethen, sr., 3B/P; Jasper Logan, sr., 1B/P; JD Troutman, sr., SS; Xander Meinig, sr., CF; David Mercer, sr., LF/P; Blake Costlow, so., RF; Jace Kerley, sr., 2B; Roman Barnes, sr., C.
 
Worth noting: Making fifth straight trip to the state tournament, Paola has qualified 11 times overall since program started in 1989. … Eight of those trips have come in last 10 years. … Panthers finished as 4A state runner-up in 2014, took third in 2016, 2021 and 2022 and placed fourth in 1999, 2023 and 2024. … Panthers fell 10-5 to eventual champion Rock Creek in last year’s semifinals and to Abilene in third-place game. … Brummer got 100th win at Paola this season and 150th overall in regional finals. … Panthers were Frontier League champions, losing only to fellow 4A qualifier Tonganoxie (in extra innings) and Louisburg. … Paola split with Tonganoxie and also with 4A qualifier Fort Scott, one of its two losses to a Kansas school. … Mercer is 8-0 and Loethen is 6-0. … Troutman has a .445 average.
 

 
ROCK CREEK
 
Coach: Shane Sieben
 
Record: 21-6
 
Regional results: beat Eudora, 10-0; beat Louisburg, 3-0.
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Mulvane (4: 21-4), 5:45 p.m. Thursday
 
Key Players: Ryker Zoeller, sr., P/OF; Drew Becker, sr., C/IF; Cooper Sieben, sr. P; Brock Lubbers, so., P/1B; Jordy Scott, OF.
 
Worth noting: Mustangs are defending Class 4A state champion, beating Pratt 7-3 in last year’s title game to cap 28-1 season. … Rock Creek also captured state championships in 2015 (4A Division II) and 2021 (3A) and was runner-up in 2014 and 2019. … State trip is 12^th for Mustangs since 2000 and 10th in last 11 seasons (excluding COVID year in 2020). … After closing out the Mid-East League with an undefeated league title, Mustangs captured North Central Kansas League this year in first year in the league, finishing ahead of fellow 4A qualifiers Abilene and Clay Center. … Sieben earned his 200th win this season. … Mustangs also have win over top-seeded McPherson, a 1-0 victory after beating 3A ranked Iola earlier in the day at the McPherson Quad. … Zoeller is 7-3 with a 1.14 ERA and set the school record for career wins with 22. … He’s struck out 67 in 61.1 innings. … Sieben is 3-2 with 3 saves and a 2.38 ERA. … Lubbers is 8-0 with a 0.74 ERA and tied the school record for strikeouts in a season with 84 in 56.2 innings. … He’s also hitting .380 with 22 RBI. … Zoeller and Lubbers each threw shutouts in regionals. … Scott is hitting .412 with 20 RBI and 24 runs scored. … Becker missed early part of season with injury but is hitting .325 with 13 RBI. … Mustangs started season 6-4, but have won 15 of last 17.
 

 
TONGANOXIE
 
Coach: Mitch Loomis
 
Record: 16-11
 
Regional results: beat El Dorado, 10-0; beat Hayden, 9-8.
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. McPherson (1: 25-3), 3:30 p.m. Thursday
 
Key Players: Brock Gibbs, sr., IF; Merek Davenport, jr., P/1B.
 
Worth noting: Trip to state is second straight and third in last four seasons for Tonganoxie. … Chieftains took second at state in 2022. … State appearance is seventh overall and Tonganoxie also took third in 1992 and fourth in 2018. … Chieftains upset undefeated Hayden in regional title game after losing to Wildcats in finals at Sabetha Tournament. … In beating Hayden, Tonganoxie claimed third win over a defending state champion in a regional final the following year, also knocking off Iola in 2019 and Bishop Miege in 2022 after they won titles the previous season in 4A. … Gibbs is hitting .312 with 19 RBI. … Davenport is 7-1 with a 1.23 ERA and 80 strikeouts and also is hitting .343 with 22 RBI.