Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College baseball team reached the 30-win benchmark for the 27th time in program history on Monday at Hobart-Detter Field with a doubleheader sweep of the Sterling College Junior Varsity.
The Blue Dragons hit a combined six home runs and tied a single-game record for triple in single-game history with victories of 12-4 and 20-4 in five innings in a doubleheader that made of for the loss of what would have been a Tuesday game with State Fair Community College, which had to cancel become of scheduling conflicts.
The Blue Dragons improve to 31-11 overall. Hutch reaches the 30-win mark for the seventh time under head coach Ryan Schmidt, who moves within three wins of surpassing John Burgi as the winningest coach in program history. Schmidt is at 312 coaching wins. Earlier this season, Schmidt moved past Kyle Crookes into second place on the Blue Dragon coaching wins' list.
With five combined home runs, the Blue Dragons are tied for second in the Jayhawk West and tied for seventh in the NJCAA with 75 home runs.
Austin Callahan hit home runs in each game, his 15th and 16th homer for the season. Callahan is now tied with Wyatt Divis for sixth on the Blue Dragon single-season home run list.
GAME 1 RECAP
The Blue Dragons got off to a lethargic start and led only 6-5 after Sterling's Albert Bisono-Rodriguez hit a two-run home run in the third inning.
The Blue Dragons answered in the bottom of the inning with six runs, albeit all six were scored after the first two batters of the inning were retired. Jon Jenkins started the two-out rally with his second home run of the season. After Daniel Bebee singled and Drew Reetz was hit with a pitch, Jack Torosian hit a two-run triple and then scored on a Mason Lowe RBI single. Callahan drove in a run with a single and scored on a Ben McLaughlin triple for a six-run third and a 11-4 lead.
The Dragons had nine hits, but took advantage of five walks and five hit batters in Game 1.
Callahan was 2 for 2 to lead the Dragons. He reached base in all four plate appearances with a walk and he was hit with a pitch. Callahan drove in three runs.
Torosian was 2 for 2 with three runs and two RBIs. His third-inning triple was his sixth of the season, which ties him for third on the Blue Dragon single-season triples list.
Jenkins was 2 for 2 with three runs scored. He also reached base in all four plate appearances.
The Blue Dragons used four pitchers in Game 1. Zane Covey (2-1) earned the win in relief with two scoreless innings. Walker Braun made his season debut with two scoreless innings.
GAME 2 RECAP
The Dragons took charge early with an eight-run first inning. Callahan, Cade Argo and Torosian each hit two-run home runs in the first-inning barrage.
Hutchinson tied a single-game record with four triples in Game 2 by Mason Lowe, Korey Holmberg, Braedan Sommer and Andrew Burgess. That mark tied a 2016 record against Pratt. For Holmberg, Sommer and Burgess, their triples were their first Blue Dragon career hits.
Christian Powell had his first career three-hit game with two doubles, three runs scored and three RBIs to lead the Blue Dragons' 14-hit attack.
Argo had two home runs in Game 2 and drove in three runs scored. Callahan had his 17th game of three or more RBIs in a game, going 2 for 3 with three RBIs and his 16th home run of the season.
Ryan Schlotzhauer (2-3) earned the pitching win in relief. He struck out the side in the second inning.
The Blue Dragons will open a four-game Jayhawk West series with the Colby Trojans at 1 p.m. on Thursday at Hobart-Detter Field.