BLUE DRAGONS ROLL BY TIGERS IN KJCCC SWEEP

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

GOODLAND – Freshman Riley Dreher combined for seven total hits and the Blue Dragon pitching staff combined to throw back-to-back shutouts as the Hutchinson Community College softball team rolled to a conference doubleheader sweep of Fort Hays Tech Northwest on Wednesday.

The Blue Dragons had an eight-run second inning and a six-run fourth inning in a 19-0 victory over the Tigers in Game 1. Hutchinson then belted out 18 hits en route to a 16-0 victory. Both games were completed in five innings.

Hutchinson extended its winning streak to five games and improved to 22-8 overall and moved into a first-place tie in the KJCCC with Colby at 11-3. The Blue Dragons will now play host to Pratt at 1 p.m. Saturday to complete the first round of league play.

The Blue Dragons are now 22-0 all-time against Fort Hays Tech Northwest.

GAME 1 RECAP – Hutchinson 19, Fort Hays Tech Northwest 0
Dreher led the Blue Dragons going 3 for 5 with a double, triple three runs scored and two RBIs. The Blue Dragon shortstop had an RBI single in Hutchinson's eight-run second inning and an RBI triple in the Dragons' six-run fourth inning.

The Blue Dragons had 11 total hits, including seven doubles and a triple. Hutchinson also took advantage of eight Tiger errors and 10 Tiger walks.

Leyla O'Connor was 2 for 3 with two doubles and three RBIs. Katelyn Pegram came off the bench to go 2 for 2 with two doubles, two runs and one RBI. Gabby Stauffer and Hadley Topping also had doubles.

Sophomore starting pitcher Aubree Thomas (7-1) led three Blue Dragon pitchers who combined for a three-hit shutout. Thomas pitched the first two inning and struck out five with three walks and one hit allowed.

Mia Williams pitched 1 1-3 inning with a hit and two walks. Kaci Young pitched 1 2-3 innings with three strikeouts and one hit allowed.

GAME 2 RECAP – Hutchinson 16, Fort Hays Tech Northwest 0
Dreher tied her season high with four hits, going 4 for 4 in Game 2. She had two doubles and extended her hitting streak to 10 games.

Sophomore Addi Lutz had her fifth three-hit game of the season after going 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Kaibryn Kruger was 2 for 4 with a three-run home run in the second inning. Leyla O'Connor went 2 for 3. Pegram added two RBIs on a two-run single in the fourth inning.

Starting pitcher Alyssa (4-3) pitched the first two inning and allowed two hits and no walks with two strikeouts. Haley Ediger pitched the final three innings, scattering four hits with seven strikeout.

All five Blue Dragon pitchers used in the doubleheader combined for 16 strikeouts.