DRAGONS SCORE 34 RUNS IN DH SPLIT WITH REDLANDS
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
EL RENO, Okla. – The Hutchinson Community College baseball team hit two grand slams, posted two 10-run innings and scored the fourth-most runs in single-game history on Tuesday at Redlands Community College in Game 1 of a midweek doubleheader.
The Blue Dragons scored 10 more runs in Game 2, but Redlands erupted for an eight-run sixth inning and pulled off a doubleheader split.
The Dragons hit five home runs in Game 1 in a 24-6 run-rule victory. Redlands took advantage of five errors and five walks in a 15-10 win in the second game. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for Hobart-Detter Field on Tuesday, but Monday's rain left the Blue Dragons' home field unplayable. The teams will be again on April 21 for a pair of seven-inning games at Hobart-Detter Field.
The Blue Dragons are 12-8 overall heading into this week's Jayhawk West series with the Butler Grizzlies on Thursday in Hutchinson and Saturday in El Dorado.
GAME 1 RECAP
The Blue Dragons scored 20 or more runs in a game for the third time this season, scoring a season-high 24 runs on just 14 hits. Redlands aided the Blue Dragon offensive surge by hitting a school-record 10 batters, walking six more Hutch batters and committed three errors.
Hutchinson also had 10-run innings in the fourth and sixth innings, marking the first time in program history to have two innings of 10 or more runs in a single game.
Sterling Sutcliffe had a career-high six RBIs, becoming the 15th Blue Dragon with at least six RBIs in a game. Sutcliffe went 2 for 4 with an RBI single, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and his second grand slam in the last five days.
Austin Callahan had the other grand slam. He was 1 for 3 with two walks and a hit-by-pitch.
The Blue Dragons had five total home runs. Jenner Steele hit his fifth home run in the last five fives with a solo homer in the third. Mason Lowe also homers and Cade Argo hit a solo home run to lead off the fifth.
Steele, Will Reetz, P.J. Loucks and Sutcliffe had two hits each to lead the Blue Dragons.
Chase Torkelson (1-0) went five innings to earn his first Blue Dragon win. He gave up seven hits and six runs while walking three and striking out two. Hunter Carson pitched a scoreless sixth to end the game by run rule in the sixth inning.
GAME 2 RECAP
Trailing 6-4 after a Redlands six-run third, the Blue Dragons got a two-run Argo homer to cap a four-run fourth for an 8-6 lead. The Dragons tacked on two more on a Cole Cosman two-run homer for a 10-7 lead.
The Cougars then stunned the Dragons with an eight-run sixth to take a 15-10 lead.
Each team had 11 hits and the Dragons hit three more home runs – Lowe also homered, his fourth in five days.
Callahan and Argo had two hits each for Hutchinson. Lowe drove in three runs and Argo had two RBIs.
P.J. Loucks (1-1) was the losing pitcher.