DRAGONS EARN KEY SPLIT WITH NO. 8 BARTON

Cody Gunderson (17) is greeted at home after hitting a home run in Hutchinson's Game 2 9-7 win over No. 8 Barton on Thursday at Hobart-Detter Field. (Sammi Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

April 27, 2023

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Cody Gunderson had a career-high four hits while the bullpen duo of Kaden Wickersham and Reed Scott slammed the door on a hard charging Barton offense as the Hutchinson Community College baseball team snapped a 14-game losing streak against nationally ranked competition on Thursday at Hobart-Detter Field.

The No. 8-ranked Barton Cougars run-ruled the Blue Dragons in Game 1, 12-1 in five innings. Hutchinson then exploded for seven runs in the third inning to build an eight-run lead and had to hold on for a 9-7 victory in Game 2.

Games 3 and 4 of the Jayhawk West series with the first-place Cougars resumes on Saturday at 1 p.m. on Lawson-Biggs Field in Great Bend. The Blue Dragons are now 27-23 overall and 15-11 in the Jayhawk West. Hutchinson is now tied with Dodge City for fifth place in the Jayhawk West with six games to go in the season. Barton is now 41-8 and 20-6 in the league.

The Blue Dragons have defeated a nationally ranked opponent since 2018 when Hutchinson edged No. 13 Barton 4-3 at Hobart-Detter Field.

GAME 2 RECAP
The Blue Dragons came out swinging against eight-game winner Owen Reynolds.

Hutchinson scored an unearned run in the second when Jon Davis' two-out double drove in Cooper Wesslund.

The Dragons then erupted for seven runs in the third inning. Gunderson started the inning with a two-run home run. Back-to-back RBI singles from Blake Bradford and Ryan Henderson gave Hutchinson a 4-0 lead. Christian Powell singled in two runs and Collin Cymbalista's RBI ground out made it 8-0 Blue Dragons after three innings.

The Cougars then outscored the Blue Dragons 7-1 over the middle three innings.

Wickersham entered the game with one out in the sixth inning. He allowed a single that pulled Barton within 9-7, but got two strikeouts in the inning.

Wickersham pitched 2 2-3 innings of relief with six strikeouts and Scott came on to earn his second save of the season. Justin Smith (1-1) earned the victory with five innings of work in his start. Smith retired the first nine batters of the game. He allowed five hits and four runs with three walks and seven strikeouts.

Gunderson led the Blue Dragons' 11-hit attack going 4 or 5 with a double and home run. He drove in two runs scored two runs. Henderson had a pair of RBI singles to go 2 for 4. A.J. Mustow had a double and scored a run.

GAME 1 RECAP
The Blue Dragons looked to have Barton starter David Stuart on the ropes after three batters. Collin Cymbalista flew out the centerfield wall, Edmunson doubles off the rightfield wall and Gunderson ripped a single to left to drive in Edmunson.

After that, Stuart allowed just one hit over the next 4 2-3 innings and quickly cooled off the Dragons.

Barton led 4-1 after three innings and put the game out of reach with a seven-run fourth inning.

Sam Ojeda (3-2) started and took the loss for the Dragons, working three innings. Derrick Johnson, Bradley Neill and Cole Toureau worked out of the bullpen.

Barton out-hit the Blue Dragons 12-3 and hit two home runs in the game. Wesslund broke a Stuart run of 11 consecutive batters retired with a two-out single in the bottom of the fifth inning.