DRAGONS STRUGGLE IN SECOND-STRAIGHT SWEEP BY COUGARS

Jeremiah Ceasar extended his hitting streak to nine games, but the Blue Dragons lost 12-1 and 16-6 on Saturday at Barton in Great Bend. (Bre Rogers/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

March 7, 2020

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

GREAT BEND – The opening weekend of Jayhawk Conference play became a weekend to forget for the Hutchinson Community College baseball team.

After dropping a pair of one-run decision to the Barton Cougars on Thursday at Hobart-Detter Field, the Blue Dragons gave up a combined 13 runs in the first innings of Saturday's twin-bill at Lawson-Biggs Field and lost pair of run-rule decisions to the Cougars, 12-1 and 16-6.

The Blue Dragons fall to 13-6 overall and start the 2020 Jayhawk West season at 0-4. '

This is only the second time since the league went to the four-game weekend series in 2008 that the Blue Dragons have been swept, the first since 2011. Barton has now won 13 games in a row and improves to 17-2 and 4-0.

The Blue Dragons will play host to No. 6 Cowley at 2 p.m. on Tuesday in mid-week nine-inning game at Hobart-Detter Field.

Saturday was a tough day for Blue Dragon pitchers. Eight Hutchinson pitchers combined to throw 10 1-3 innings. Barton racked up 28 hits, including six home runs, 28 runs and eight walks.

Offensively, the Blue Dragons countered with only eight runs and 13 hits in the two games.

GAME 1 RECAP
Jenner Steele's first-inning RBI single scored Jeremiah Ceasar. That turned out to the Hutchinson's only lead on Saturday.

Barton countered with four runs in the bottom of the first and added three more runs in the third inning and five more in the fifth.

The Blue Dragons were out-hit 14-5. Luke Sartori, Steele, Tyler Delong, Drew Reetz and Ceasar all had singles. Barton had home runs from Carsen Pracht, a grand slam by Adam Schrag and Noah Geekie.

Zach Firmature (2-2) look the loss for Hutchinson, going three innings. He struck out five, but allowed 10 hits and seven runs.

Barton's Easton Young threw a five-inning complete game with five strikeouts.

GAME 2 RECAP
Barton took charge of the second game with a nine-run first inning and led 10-0 before Hutch mounted an offensive threat.

Will Reetz and Sartori homered in Hutch's four-run fourth that cut the Barton lead to 10-4. Ceasar singled in two runs in the top of the sixth.

Ceasar extended his current hitting streak to nine games, going 3 for 4 with a triple, run scored and two RBIs in the second game. He had the only multi-hit game for Hutchinson, which was out-hit 14-8.

The Blue Dragons used three pitchers to get out of that disastrous first inning. Ethan Peterson was the losing pitcher for Hutchinson.