Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Held to its second-low offensive output of the season, the Hutchinson Community College baseball team is now in a do-or-die situation in the Region VI Tournament.

Coffeyville scored six unanswered runs from the fifth through the eighth innings on Saturday and defeated the Blue Dragons 6-1 in the opening game of the Region VI Tournament best-of-3 opening-round series on Friday at Hobart-Detter Field.

The Blue Dragons (34-20) trail 1-0 in the series and will try to force a decisive third game in Game 2, which is at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Hobart-Detter Field. Coffeyville is now 28-24 overall and the season series between the Dragons and Raven is tied at 2-2.

Blue Dragon starter Mike Brown was sharp through the first four innings. The freshman right-hander retired the first 13 Red Ravens he faced until Damon Jorgensen singled to right field with one out in the fifth inning. Jorgensen eventually scored on a double-steal with Brady Rockers. He later scored on a two-out RBI single Austin Bonnel to give the Raven a 2-0 lead after five innings.

Jorge Ortiz made the Dragon hole twice as deep in the sixth with a two-run home run in a three-run Coffeyville sixth.

The Blue Dragons missed on a great change to get on the board in the fifth by loading the bases with no out against Raven starter Gavin Heltemes. The Ravens got off the hook with no runs allowed after a 5-2 double play and strikeout ended the threat.

Trailing 6-0 into the ninth, Hutch finally broke the shutout with a Riley Metzger RBI groundout to plate Bobby Morgensen.

With only seven hits in the game, the Dragons stranded seven runners, hit into two double plays and lost one runner on a caught stealing while producing only two extra-base hits – doubles from Morgensen and Zach Baxley, both coming while leading off innings.

Baxley and Logan Sartori had two hits each to lead the Blue Dragons. Brock Schaffer, Morgensen and Dylan Nedved had the Dragons' other hits.

Heltemes, who defeated Hutch for the second time this season, worked seven innings and struck out 11. He allowed six hits and three walks.

Brown (5-3) went six innings in taking the loss. Brown allowed six hits, five earned runs and now walks with four strikeouts. Matt Hopkins, Masen Palmier and Zach Moore worked out of the bullpen for Hutchinson.

Ortiz, Jorgensen and Bonnel had two hits each to lead Coffeyville's nine hit attack.