EDMUNSON’S 7 HITS POWERS DRAGONS TO SEASON-OPENING SWEEP
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Sophomore outfielder Will Edmunson combined for seven hits, going 5 for 5 in Game 2, to lead the Hutchinson Community College baseball team to a season-opening doubleheader sweep of the Southeast (Neb.) Storm on Saturday at Hobart-Detter Field.
Edmunson hit a key two-run home run in the fifth inning of Hutchinson's 8-5 season-opening win. The sophomore from Luther, Oklahoma then became the first Blue Dragon since 2020 to have five hits in a single game and hit drove in two in the Blue Dragons' 10-7 come-from-behind victory in Game 2.
The final two games of this season-opening series will be at 1 and 3:30 p.m. on Monday at Christensen Field in Beatrice, Nebraska.
Just moments after Southeast pulled within one run at 5-4 in the top of the fifth inning, Edmunson hit a two-run home run to dead center field as part of a three-run fifth inning that gave the Dragons an 8-5 lead. Edmunson was 2 for 3 with a run scored and two RBIs.
Edmunson then became the first Blue Dragon since Luke Sartori in 2020 to have five hits, going 5 for 5 with five singles. Edmunson had the go-head RBI single that scored Braedyn Sommer in Hutchinson's four-run eighth inning that gave the Dragons a 10-7 lead after eight innings.
GAME 1 RECAP
The Blue Dragon took advantage of four Southeast errors, including three errors in a three-run second inning that put Hutchinson on top for good in the first half. The Dragons out-hit Southeast 9-7.
Edmunson, Blake Bradford and Cody Gunderson all had two hits each. Gunderson had two doubles.
The Blue Dragons led 3-1 after three innings and built a four-run lead in the fourth with two runs in the frame. Sommer's sacrifice fly to left scored Gunderson and Bradford's two-out RBI single plated Cooper Wesslund for a 5-1 lead.
The Storm pulled within 5-4 after a Max Peterson three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning. Hutchinson answered back to build an 8-4 lead after Edmunson's two-run home run to center and Christian Powell scoring on Gunderson's double and subsequent fielding error.
Starter Ben Dandelet (1-0) earned the pitching win, going 3 2-3 innings. He struck out four and allowed three hits and one earned run.
GAME 2 RECAP
In addition to Edmunson's five hits, the top of the Blue Dragon order – Sommer, Bradford and Ryan Henderson – combined for six hits, four runs scored and five RBIs in the Dragons' come-from-behind victory.
Trailing 7-6 after seven innings, the Blue Dragons earned their first come-from-behind victory of the season with four runs in the eighth inning. Bradford singled home Wesslund to tie the game at 7-all. Edmunson gave the Dragons an 8-7 lead with his fifth single of the game to score. Sommer. The Dragons tacked on two unearned runs when a Storm throwing error scored Bradford and Edmunson for a 10-7 lead.
Brady Beverman pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the save for Sam Wragge, who earned his first career victory. Wragge struck out five in two innings. Four Blue Dragon pitchers struck out 14 Storm batters.
The Blue Dragons had 13 hits in Game 2. The Dragons were also the recipient of four walks and four hit batters as well as three Southeast errors.
Bradford went 3 for 3 and reached base in all five plate appearances after being hit with pitches in his first two plate appearances. Bradford scored two runs and drove in two runs.
Henderson went 2 for 3 with three RBIs.