Brandon Doherty and the Blue Dragons defeated Neosho County 15-5 in seven innings in Game 2 of the Region VI Sub-Regional on May 7, 2005 at Hobart-Detter Field.

Region VI Sub-Regional Game 2
Hutchinson 15, Neosho County 5
May 7, 2005 - Hobart-Detter Field

DRAGONS ERASE
BITTER 2004 WITH SERIES SWEEP
OF NEOSHO COUNTY

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Now the Hutchinson Blue Dragons know what Johnson County felt like last year when it walked out of Hobart-Detter Field with a sweep in the first-round series of the Region VI Baseball Tournament.

With memories of last year’s debacle – which included a run-rule loss to the Cavaliers in Game 2 – still fresh in their memories, the top-seeded Blue Dragons left nothing to chance on Saturday, May 7, 2005 with dangerous eight-seeded Neosho County in town for a best-of-3 Region VI opening-round series.

After capturing the first game 11-7, the Blue Dragons finished off the Panthers in grand fashion in Game 2, getting a complete-game performance from Noah Krol and a 12-hit offensive output to score a run-rule victory of their own. HCC finished off the sweep of Neosho with a 15-5 victory that lasted only seven innings.

“It’s a relief,” Krol said. “After getting swept last year and getting hammered, to come out and win these two games is big.”

The victory sends Hutchinson (32-19) into the Region VI Tournament at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita.

The Blue Dragons, who along with three other teams shared the Jayhawk West championship, advance to Wichita and the eight-team double-elimination tournament for the first time since this format began last season.

Krol (4-2) threw a complete-game victory, allowing 11 hits and five runs, but walked none. He struck out eight, the second most by Krol this season. Of the 21 outs recorded, 19 were either on the ground or by strikeout. The Dragons also turned three double plays behind Krol.

“Krol was solid,” HCC head coach Kyle Crookes said. “He gave up almost as many hits, but the big difference was he never walked anybody and kept his tempo. Both pitchers really did an outstanding job.”

Offensively, the Dragons had 12 hits, six going for extra bases and two home runs. Lindy Wray hit a two-run shot, his fourth of the season, in the third. Andy Dirks had a grand slam in a five-run fifth that really broke the game open, giving the Dragons a 12-1 lead.

Thad Weber went 4 for 5 with two runs and three RBIs to lead the Dragons. Wray, moved into the No. 3 spot in the order, went 3 for 4 with three runs and two RBIs. Brandon Doherty and Dirks were each 2 for 4 in the game.

For the series, the Dragons pounded out 26 runs and 27 hits, 14 extra base hits and six home runs. Weber was a combined 7 for 11 with five RBIs. Dirks, out of the nine hole, went 5 for 9.

“Andy keeps better,” Crookes said. “He has the opportunity to be a really special player. If he keeps getting better, he will be able to do a lot of things for a lot of years in baseball. Hopefully he will continue to improve and that learning curve continues to go upward. He had a great day today.”

HCC scored in the first, but Neosho immediately came back in the top of the second to tie the game at 1-all. The Dragons went on to score 11 unanswered runs to break the game open.

Hutch had a four-run second that was highlighted by Doherty’s two-run bloop single over the outstretched glove of Neosho shortstop Andy Anderson and Wray’s two-run homer for a 5-1 lead. The Dragons made it 7-1 in the third with two unearned runs.

With one out in the fifth, Luke Naccarato, Torey Williams and Chris Rusler all walked to load the bases. Dirk then clubbed a 2-2 pitch over the center-field wall for his first career grand slam for a 11-1 lead. Weber also had an RBI double to give Hutch a 12-1 lead.

“In the first game, I left the runners on the bases when the bases were loaded,” Dirks said. “I was just trying to put the bat on the ball and put it in play. That first hack, I took a pretty good hack and when there was two strikes we drove it and saw it all the way to the bat.

“It felt pretty good and with the wind, I thought it had a chance to get out.”

The Dragons were close to ending it in the top of the seventh, but Krol allowed back-to-back home runs to allow Neosho County to pull within 12-5. Hutch finished off the Panthers (29-29) in the bottom of the seventh. Weber had an RBI single and back-to-back bases-loaded walks scored Wray and Weber to end the game.