DRAGONS RUN WIN STREAK TO 10 AFTER SWEEP OF PRATT

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Emily Munson, Kiersten Weitze and Morgan Pennycuff held the Pratt Beavers to three combined hits as the Hutchinson Community College softball team extended its winning streak to 10 games on Saturday at Fun Valley.

Munson twirled the first Blue Dragon complete game of the season in Game 1 holding the Beavers to two hits in an 8-0, six-inning Hutchinson victory. Weitze and Pennycuff combined for a one-hit shutout as the Blue Dragons downed Pratt 9-0 in five innings.

The Blue Dragons improved to 22-4 overall and 13-1 in the Jayhawk Conference. This is the fifth winning streak of 10 games or more in the Jaime Rose era and the seventh in program history. The current 10-game win streak ties the 2006 Blue Dragons for the sixth-longest winning streak in program history.

GAME 1 RECAP
After a rough start on Friday at Barton, Munson faced some first-inning trouble against Pratt, but her defense helped get her out of the jam.

With a runner at second and one out, an error got through to centerfield, but Haley Miller cut down Brittany Humble at the plate for the second out. After getting through the first inning, Munson allowed only two baserunners over the next five innings.

Munson retired 16 of the final 17 batters she faces, including the final 11 batters. Munson's first complete game and first for the Blue Dragons in 2022 was a two-hit shutout with only one walk and six strikeouts.

Miller led the Blue Dragons' 12-hit offensive attack going 3 for 3 with three stolen bases and two runs scored. She had two RBIs, including a sixth-inning sacrifice fly to score Ella Dougherty with the run that pushed the game to the mercy rule.

Dougherty was 2 for 4 with a triple, two runs scored and two RBIs. Madison Grimes was 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Grimes had a double and two-run inside-the-park home run. Easton Swanson was 2 for 3 with a run scored. Carley Sterneker, Riley Wertz and Aspen Goetz all had doubles.

GAME 2 RECAP
Like Munson in Game 1, Weitze found herself in some first-inning trouble after a walk and double with one out Weitze took care of that threat herself with back-to-back strikeouts.

Weitze (6-1) retired the final eight batters she faced in her three innings of work. She allowed one hit and one walk with three strikeouts. Pennycuff sat down 6 of the 7 batters she faced. The only baserunner was a two-out hit batter in the fourth inning.

Weitze pitch her second combined shutout this season. Pennycuff was part of a third combined shutout as the Hutchinson pitching staff now has six shutouts this season.

The Blue Dragons erupted for seven runs in the third inning and added two more in the fourth inning.

The Dragons had eight hits in the second game with eight different players collecting just one hit. Grimes drove in two runs. Sadie Loney ripped a two-run opposite-field double. Dougherty, Sterneker and Anna Berblinger all had RBIs in the game.

The Blue Dragons are off until Friday when Seward County comes to Fun Valley for a KJCCC doubleheader at 2 and 4 p.m.