By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
It took some time to get the bats going but when they did, Sacred Heart dominated their regional baseball quarterfinal against Kansas City Christian, sending the Panthers packing in a 7-0 shutout.
The Knights got on the board early when Maddox Wells reached on a fielder’s choice, was doubled to third by Cayson Ivey, then came in on a Graham Armstrong sac-fly.
Both teams stayed off the board in the second and third, thanks in large part to a pair of stellar defensive plays in the field by Noah Hines and Maddox Wells.
In the fourth, Sacred Heart found their rhythm at the plate, using three hits, three walks, and a dropped third strike to scratch across six runs and never look back.
Graham Armstrong stifled the Panther lineup for six innings of shutout ball, allowing just five hits and one walk while striking out five.
Cayson Ivey entered in relief in the seventh and slammed the door shut, preserving the shutout and helping the Knights to punch their ticket to the second round of the regional tournament.
For KC Christian, the season draws to a close at 10-12.
Sacred Heart, now 17-8, will square off with Mission Valley (18-4) in Rossville on Tuesday with first pitch set for 2:00.
The winner of that game will await the victor between Rossville (21-4) and Jackson Heights (13-7) in the championship game later that night.
This quarterfinal victory can be watched back any time on-demand below.