GOETZ, PENNYCUFF LEAD 11 DRAGONS ON ALL-KJCCC SOFTBALL TEAM

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The 2023 Jayhawk Conference champion Hutchinson Community College softball team landed 11 players on the All-Jayhawk Conference/All-Region VI postseason teams, which were released on Wednesday.

Blue Dragon single-season and career record holder Aspen Goetz and 17-game winner Morgan Pennycuff led the Blue Dragon contingent as first-team selections.

Pitcher Riley Wertz, third baseman Olivia Sandoval and outfielder Jaeleigh Darnell were second-team selections. Shortstop Madison Grimes, Wertz (designated player), catcher Allie Stipsits, pitcher Emily Munson and outfielders Korri Lies and Alexis Mastin were honorable mention selections.

The Blue Dragons won the Jayhawk Conference league title for the first time in 31 years and set a school record for wins with a 44-8 record. The team set seven team records and tied another this season that ended in the Region VI championship game.

ASPEN GOETZ – 1st Team
A sophomore first baseman from Rose Hill, Goetz put together one of the best single seasons in Blue Dragon history – a season that included numerous career, season and single-game records.

Goetz set both single-season and career records for home runs with 20 this season and 27 for her career. She obliterated the Blue Dragon single-season RBI record with 98 this season. That mark ranked fourth in the NJCAA at the end of the regular season.

Goetz owns the top two single-game RBI performances in program history. She had 10 RBIs against Seward County on March 22. She followed that with nine RBIs in a home game against Seward County on April 27 at Fun Valley.

For the season, Goetz posted a .462 batting average (No. 3 in Blue Dragon season history) with 80 hits (No. 3 in Blue Dragon season history). She had 17 doubles and scored 61 runs. Goetz's .908 season slugging percentage is second-best in single-season history.

Goetz tied for a season-high 23 multiple-hit games, including one five-hit game and a record-tying six-hit game against Seward County on March 22. She had six games of five or more RBIs.

MORGAN PENNYCUFF – 1st Team
A sophomore pitcher from Augusta, Pennycuff had the most pitching wins in a single season since 2018, going 17-3 this season. Pennycuff earned two Region VI Tournament wins.

Making 23 starts and 24 overall appearances, Pennycuff worked a season high 87 1-3 innings with a 3.29 ERA. She had four complete games, two shutouts and combined on six other shutouts. She was part of one combined no-hitter against Northwest Tech.

Pennycuff had 82 strikeouts and walked 30. Opponents hit just .228 against her.

Pennycuff helped the Blue Dragons post a team 2.80 earned-run average, the second-best team mark in program history. She allowed less than one hit per inning, giving up 74 total hits.

RILEY WERTZ – 2nd Team
Earlier this season, the sophomore closer from Maize became the Jayhawk Conference career record holder for saves. After eight saves in 2023, Wertz now has 17 career saves in her two years as a Blue Dragon.

Wertz made 36 appearances this season, posting a 3-2 record with a 1.88 ERA, the sixth-lowest ERA in single-game Blue Dragon history. Over 67 inning of work, Wertz struck out 117 batters, 13th most in single-season history.

For her career, Wertz went 16-3 with 17 saves and a 1.59 earned run average. In 149 2-3 innings, Wertz had 269 career strikeouts, fifth most in program history.

OLIVIA SANDOVAL – 2nd Team
The freshman third baseman from Newton broke the Blue Dragon single-season record for doubles with 22 this season. Her 77 total hits ranked No. 4 in single-season Hutchinson history.

Sandoval hit .435 with two home runs and 59 RBIs. She scored 60 runs this season.

Sandoval had 22 multi-hit games with a season-high four hits. She closed the season on a 16-game hitting streak, which is the fifth longest in program history.

JAELEIGH DARNELL – 2nd Team
A freshman outfielder from Auburn, Nebraska, Darnell hit .394 this season with 41 total hits. She had nine doubles, a triple and four home runs. She had a .615 slugging percentage and a .515 on-base percentage. Darnell drew 23 walks. She scored 32 runs and drove in 34 RBIs.

Darnell had 10 two-hit games this season. She hit a big three-run home run against Barton on April 12 at Fun Valley, helping the Dragons to a 9-1 victory.

MADISON GRIMES – Honorable Mention
A third-year sophomore from Andale hit better than .400 for the second time in her Blue Dragon career, Grimes hit .415 with a .459 on-base percentage and .596 slugging percentage. Grimes had 71 total hits with 14 doubles, four triples, three homers and 55 RBIs. Grimes also led the team with 22 stolen bases. Grimes scored 69 runs and produced several incredible defensive players as shortstop.

For her Blue Dragon career, Grimes is the career leader in batting average (.444), at-bats (482), hits (214), runs scored (180), RBIs (174), doubles (42), triples (11), total bases (335) and extra-base hits (72). She is No. 2 in stolen bases with 81.

Grimes' 214 hits are third most in Jayhawk Conference history.

RILEY WERTZ – Honorable Mention
At the plate this season, Wertz hit .381 with 40 hits. She had six doubles and 10 home runs, which ties for ninth most in single-season history. Wertz had 46 RBIs and her .724 slugging percentage ranked No. 13 in program history.

Wertz produced the third-highest single-game RBI total in program history when she drove in eight RBIs against Northwest Tech on April 19.

ALLIE STIPSITS – Honorable Mention
A sophomore catcher from Olathe, Stipsits had a solid season hitting .296 in 50 games this season. Stipsits had 45 total hits with 11 doubles, three home runs and 22 RBIs.

Defensively, Stipsits had a .991 fielding percentage, throwing out 5 of 44 stolen base attempts. She had just three errors on 327 total defensives chances.

EMILY MUNSON – Honorable Mention
A sophomore starting pitcher from Omaha, Nebraska, Munson had a 7-1 record with a 3.84 ERA in 19 total appearances and 16 starts. Over 54 2-3 innings of work, Munson allowed 64 hits and 34 runs with 34 strikeouts and 16 walks. Opponent hit .287 against Munson this season.

Munson also had one save this season.

KORRI LIES – Honorable Mention
A freshman multi-position player from Cheney, Lies hit .301, starting 39 games in center field this season. Lies had 28 total hits with 11 doubles with 34 runs scored and 20 RBIs.

ALEXIS MASTIN – Honorable Mention
A freshman outfielder from Maize, Mastin was 1 of 3 Blue Dragons with 10 or more home runs this season, including one in the Region VI Tournament. Mastin hit .372 with 51 total hits and 14 doubles. Mastin had 50 RBIs, 14 doubles and 43 runs scored.