DRAGONS TOSS BACK-TO-BACK SHUTOUTS AT LABETTE

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Emily Munson, Morgan Pennycuff and Riley Wertz combined to toss back-to-back shutouts in the Hutchinson Community College softball team's 2023 home opener on Tuesday against Labette.

Munson and Wertz combined to throw a four-hit shutout on a 7-0 victory in Game 1. Pennycuff and Wertz also combined on a four-hit shutout and the Dragons exploded for nine runs over the final three innings in a 9-0 five-inning run-rule victory in Game 2.

The Blue Dragons improved to 10-3 overall. Hutchinson plays at the Bethany College JV on Friday and plays host to Hesston College on Saturday at Fun Valley.

Making her first start since returning from an injury, Munson (1-0) tossed six scoreless innings in Game 1. She had three strikeouts and a walk while allowing four hits. Munson allowed only one runner to reach third base. Wertz then struck out the side in the fifth.

Pennycuff struck out five in 4 1-3 innings. She allowed four hits and three walks. Pennycuff got out of jams in the second and fourth innings when Labette had runners at second and third with one out in each inning.

With Hutchinson leading 4-0, Pennycuff (4-1) was lifted with two on and one out. Wertz got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning and get her second save of the season and 11th of her career.

GAME 1 RECAP
The Blue Dragons racked up 10 hits, scoring in 4 of 6 offensive innings.

Alexis Mastin led the Dragons, going 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs. Olivia Sandoval went 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. Ella Dougherty also went 2 for 3 with two runs scored. Madison Grimes was 2 for 4 with a run.

The Dragons took a 1-0 lead on an unearned runs in the first inning. Hutchinson's took a 3-0 lead in the third on Mastin's two-run double with two out in the third inning.

Mastin singled home Grimes in the fifth for a 4-0 lead. Grace Sykora had an RBI double and Sandoval singled in a run and Aspen Goetz hit a sacrifice fly to give Hutchinson a 7-0 lead.

GAME 2 RECAP
Mastin and Sykora had two hits each to lead the Blue Dragon nine-hit attack.

Mastin was 2 for 2 with a home run and two runs scored. Sykora was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs.

Grimes had an RBI triple to set a new career record with her eighth triple and she moved within four hits of surpassing Jessica Glenn as the new all-time hits' leader in Blue Dragon history.

Preslee Irwin was 1 for 2 with a season-high three RBIs when she hit a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth to push the game into run-rule territory.

Grimes' two-run triple in the third scored Irwin and Sandoval for a 2-0 lead.

Mastin led off the fourth with her third home run of the season to make it 3-0. Irwin's groundout plated pinch-runner Tamara Lozoya for a 4-0 lead.

The Dragons loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fifth. Jaleigh Darnell had an RBI groundout to score Goetz for a 5-0 lead. Sykora then doubled home Mastin and Allie Stipsits for a 7-0 lead. Irwin followed that with her first career home run, a two-run shot to left, to give the Dragons a 9-0 lead.