SURGING DRAGONS RUN WIN STREAK TO 10

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College softball team secured third place in the Jayhawk East Monday with a KJCCC doubleheader sweep of the Independence Pirates at Fun Valley.

The Blue Dragons extended their season-long winning streak to 10 games with victories of 8-3 and 16-4 in five innings over the Pirates. The Dragons are now 20-14 overall and clinch third place in the Jayhawk East at 15-9. The Dragons have one more league doubleheader remaining at Northwest Tech next week. Hutch owns the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Pirates, winning the season series 3-1.

The Blue Dragons had to rally in both teams from early deficits to earn the sweep.

Maryssa Rollin earned the pitching victory in Game 1 and drove in three more runs – with an RBI in Game 2, Rollin now has 20 RBIs in her last six games – to lead the Blue Dragons.

Then in Game 2, freshman shortstop Caitlin Schumacher hit her first career home run and had career bests of three hits and six RBIs in the mercy rule win in five innings. Schumacher's six RBIs are the second highest single-game total this season and ties for the seventh most in Blue Dragon single-game history.

GAME 1 RECAP
The Blue Dragons trailed 1-0 and 2-1 in the first game and scored six unanswered runs to earn their ninth-consecutive victory.

Hutch took advantage of two Indy errors and got a Taylor Ullery lined an RBI single to left in a three-run fourth inning that gave the Dragons a 5-3 lead.

A.J. Briones had a fifth-inning RBI single and Rollin punched a two-run single in the sixth to give the Dragons an 8-3 lead.

Rollin pitched her fourth complete game and improved to 8-1 with a nine strikeout performance over seven innings. She allowed three hits and three runs and walked two. Rollin retired the final 14 batters she faced.

The Blue Dragons had 12 hits in Game 1, only one for extra bases, a double by Ullery, who went 3 for 4 with three runs scored,

Alexis Way and Briones had two hits each. Briones had one run and one RBI. Rollin was 1 for 3 with three RBIs.

GAME 2 RECAP
Schumacher's career game started with a two-run single in the first inning that capped a four-run opening frame that gave Hutch a 4-1 lead. Leading 5-3 in the fourth, Schumacher hit her first career home run with a two-run shot to left field to give the Dragons a 7-3 lead. Then in Hutchinson's nine-run fourth inning, Schumacher laced a two-run double to left center to make it 9-3 Dragons.

Schumacher was a career-best 3 for 3 with a double, home run and six RBIs to lead Hutchinson's 15-hit attack.

Every Blue Dragon starter had at least one hit and 8 of 9 starters had at least one RBI.

Kiara DeCrane went 3 for 3 with three doubles, three runs and two RBIs. The three doubles tied a Blue Dragon single-game record, becoming the seventh Blue Dragon with three doubles in a game.

Brynne Stockman went 2 for 4 with three runs and two doubles. Briones was 2 for 3 with a run and RBI.

Hutch had eight extra base hits with seven doubles and Schumacher's home run.

Megan Davis improved to 8-7 in the circle with a complete game five-inning performance. She allowed nine hits, four runs and three walks, while tying a career-high six strikeouts.

The Blue Dragons travel to Sterling on Wednesday for a doubleheader against the Sterling College JV.