Hutchinson CC Sports Information
ENID, Oklahoma – The Northern Oklahoma College-Enid Jets hit four home runs and scored a combined four runs in their final two at-bats to spoil the 2021 season opener for the Hutchinson Community College baseball team on Tuesday.
The Blue Dragons rallied from three runs down twice to take a two-run lead after 6 1/2 innings, but couldn't hold off the Jets in an 8-7 loss.
The Blue Dragons (0-1) will have a week off before traveling to El Reno, Oklahoma to take on the Redlands Cougars next Tuesday.
Trailing 4-1 after four innings, the Blue Dragon offense finally started to produce. Freshman Jack Torosian tripled home Will Reetz and then scored on the back end of a double steal with Drew Reetz to cut the Jets' lead to 4-3.
The Blue Dragons took their first lead in the seventh with a three-run outburst. Freshman P.J. Loucks smacked a two-run double to take a 5-4 lead. Loucks scored on an Austin Callahan single to give Hutchinson a 6-4 lead.
NOC-Enid immediately responded in the bottom of the seventh when Calyn Halvirson hit a game-tying two-run home run to knot the game at 6-all. The Jets were set up in the bottom of the eighth with a walk and hit batter to start the inning. With the bases loaded and one out, NOC's Cody Savage ripped a two-run single through the left side of the infield for an 8-6 Jets' lead.
The Blue Dragons tried to rally in the in the top of the ninth. With runners at second and third with one out, Callahan hit a deep sacrifice fly to center to score pinch-runner Korey Holmberg and move Loucks to third as the tying run. That was as close as the Dragons could get.
Hutchinson out-hit NOC-Enid 12-10.
Callahan led Hutchinson going 3 for 4 with a run scored and two RBIs. Loucks had a pair of doubles in his Blue Dragon debut with a run and two RBIs. Will Reetz also had two hits, but the Blue Dragons left 14 runners on base.
The Blue Dragons used seven pitchers on Tuesday. Freshman Luke Hornberger was tagged with the loss. Freshman Ryan Schlotzhauer made his first career start and worked just two innings. Zach Firmature, Tony Caldwell, Treyton Randall, Hunter Waugh and Cade Fenton also pitched in the game.