Hutchinson CC Sports Information

COFFEYVILLE – The Hutchinson Community College baseball team needed extra innings and a go-ahead home run in its final at bat to extend its winning streak to eight games on Saturday.

Hutchinson swept the first two games of a weekend four-game series with the Coffeyville Red Ravens, winning the first game 8-6 in eight innings and the second 7-6 at Walter Johnson Park.

The series moves to Hutchinson on Sunday as the Blue Dragons finally play at Hobart-Detter Field. Game times are 1 and 3 p.m. and both games will be streamed on the Blue Dragon Sports Network.

Taking the first two games with the Red Ravens, the Blue Dragons improve to 11-2 overall, while Coffeyville falls to 3-6.

With the first game tied at 6 after seven innings – although not a KJCCC doubleheader, the series format is the same of seven innings in the first and nine in the second like a conference matchup – the Blue Dragons loaded the bases with no out in the top of the eighth after walks to Christopher Noble and Will Reetz and an infield single by Drew Reetz. One out later, Jeremiah Ceasar hit a grounder back to Coffeyville pitcher Max Chesney, who bobbled it, allowing pinch-runner Cole Cosman to score and take the lead. Hutch added a bases-loaded walk to Austin Callahan for an 8-6 lead.

Caden Pogue allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the eight, but slammed the door on the Ravens for his second win of the season.

With the second game only scheduled for seven innings after the first game went to extra innings, the Dragons trailed 6-5 after five innings. The Dragons tied the game in the sixth with a bases-loaded walk to Sartori.

One inning later, Steele launched the first pitch of the top of the seventh over the center field wall for his fourth home run of the season to give Hutchinson a 7-6 lead. Cade Fenton came into the game, allowed a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh but nothing else and saved the game for winning pitcher Hunter Waugh.

GAME 1 RECAP
Freshman Luke Sartori ran his hitting streak to 12 games, going 3 for 4 with three runs scored to lead Hutchinson's eight-hit attack.

Callahan had three RBIs, including a two-run home run in the third inning to pull the Blue Dragons within 5-4.

Steele also had three RBIS, going 1 for 4. Ceasar had a couple of hits, going 2 for 5 with a double and two runs scored.

The Blue Dragons were out-hit 10-8. Five Coffeyville pitchers struck out 12 Blue Dragon batters combined.

Pogue worked the final four innings to earn the victory and move to 2-0. He allowed a game-tying run in the fifth to knot the score at 6-all, but shut out the Ravens over the final three innings. Pogue struck out four and allowed three hits and one earned run.

Starter Zach Firmature only went 1 2-3 innings. He gave up five hits and five runs, only two earned. Dawson Linder worked 2 1-3 innings with two hits and no runs allowed with three strikeouts.

GAME 2 RECAP
Four different Dragons had multi-hit games as Hutchinson out-hit Coffeyville 12-4 in the second game.

Britton Mulhern set the table from the leadoff spot, going 3 for 4 with a run scored. Sartori extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a 2-for-3 effort and three RBIs.

Steele went 2 for 4 and Drew Reetz came off the bench to go 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs.

The Blue Dragons hit four home runs – Tyler Delong, Drew Reetz, Sartori and Steele. Cade Argo and Austin Callahan added doubles.

Starter Ethan Peterson lasted just 1 1-3 innings, but the bullpen effort of Brian Skillman, Waugh and Pogue carried the Blue Dragons. The bullpen combined for 5 2-3 innings with just three hits and two unearned runs allowed and 12 strikeouts.

Skillman worked 2 2-3 innings with five strikeouts and three walks. He allowed a hit an unearned run. Waugh struck out four in two innings and Fenton struck out three in the bottom of the seventh for the save.

Trailing 5-0 through three innings, the Dragons exploded for five runs in the fourth to tie the game. Delong led off the inning with a home run. Drew Reetz added a two-run shot to cut the Raven lead to 5-3. Sartori then launched a two-out two-run homer to tie the game at 5-all.