HENDERSON POWERS DRAGONS TO SWEEP OF PRATT
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
PRATT – Sophomore Ryan Henderson combined for three home runs and eight RBIs on Friday to lead the Hutchinson Community College baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of the Pratt Beavers at Stanion Field.
Henderson homered in Game 1 as Hutchinson jumped out to a seven-run lead and held on for an 11-9 victory in the series opener. The Blue Dragon first baseman then posted his second career two-home run game and the Dragons rallied from five runs down to defeat the Beavers 16-12 in 10 innings.
The Blue Dragons climb back over the .500 mark for the season at 12-11 and moved back to .500 in league play at 3-3. Pratt is now 13-13 and 3-3. The teams were scheduled to complete the four-game KJCCC series on Saturday at Hobart-Detter Field. Because of forecasted frigid temperatures on Saturday, the series will be completed at 1 and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday at Hobart-Detter Field.
Entering Friday's games, Henderson was hitting just .227 with no home runs, Henderson raised his batting average 53 points with a combined 6 for 7 performance with a double, three home runs and eight RBIs.
Henderson was 3 for 3 with four RBIs, three runs scored with a double and homer in Game 1. He had a three-run double in a four-run third inning and a solo homer to lead off the fifth.
The Blue Dragon first baseman then went 3 for 4 with two home runs, three runs scored and four more RBIs. Henderson's two-run home run in the fourth tied the game at 4-all. He homered again in the ninth for a 12-9 lead. Henderson then had a sacrifice fly in Hutchinson's four-run 10th inning.
GAME 1 RECAP
Sophomore Reed Scott (2-1) earned a victory in his first career start, going five-plus innings. The Blue Dragons built a 9-2 lead while Scott was in the game.
The Blue Dragons scored in 6 of 7 innings, getting three insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Will Edmunson had an RBI fielder's choice in the sixth for a 9-2 lead. Blake Bradford scored on a passed ball and Edmunson singled home Cooper Wesslund in the seventh for an 11-6 lead.
Pratt scored four runs in the second and three more in the seventh to pull within 11-9.
In addition to Henderson's 3 for 3 game, Edmunson was 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a run scored. Wesslund was 2 for 4 with three runs scored.
The Blue Dragons had 10 total hits. Besides Henderson's three-run double and solo home run, Christian Powell had the only other extra-base hit, a double in the fourth inning.
Blue Dragon relief pitchers Justin Smith and Brady Beverman struggled, combining for two innings and allowing six hits, five runs and a walk.
The Blue Dragons were aided by five Pratt errors.
GAME 2 RECAP
The Blue Dragons trailed 9-4 after seven innings, but rallied to take a 10-9 lead with a six-run eighth inning.
The comeback started with a two-run double by Edmunson. The Dragons pulled within 9-8 on a two-run Max Childress single. The Dragons tied the game on Jon Davis' single to center that scored Henderson. The Dragons then took a 10-9 lead when pinch-runner Jack Gardner scored on Powel's successful safety squeeze bunt.
The Blue Dragons took a 12-9 lead when Cody Gunderson and Henderson hit back-to-back solo home runs in the top of the ninth. Pratt tied the game at 12 when Tyler Gates hit a three-run home run.
The Dragons scored four runs on just one hit and was aided by for walks and two hit batters. The Dragons scored the first two runs of the inning on bases-loaded walks to Adam Mustow and Gunderson. Henderson's sacrifice fly scored Edmunson with the third run and a bases-loaded walk to Davis plated the fourth run for a 16-12 lead.
Pratt loaded the games in the bottom of the 10th against Derrick Johnson (1-0), who struck out five in two innings to earn the pitching victory.
The Blue Dragons used eight pitchers in the game.
Hutchinson had 13 total hits and had to overcome five errors in the game.
Edmunson went 2 for 5 with two doubles, three runs scored and two RBIs. Mustow was 2 for 5 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Childress and Mustow had two RBIs each.