GIESBRECHT GEM IGNITES DRAGONS TO SWEEP OF GARDEN CITY

Ethan Giesbrecht twirls a complete-game one-hit shutout as the Blue Dragons swept Garden City 10-0 and 6-1 on Wednesday at Hobart-Detter Field. (Billy Watson/Blue Dragon Sports Information)
Ethan Giesbrecht twirls a complete-game one-hit shutout as the Blue Dragons swept Garden City 10-0 and 6-1 on Wednesday at Hobart-Detter Field. (Billy Watson/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Hutchinson Community College sophomore starting pitcher Ethan Giesbrecht authored the first complete-game one-hitter since 2020 as the Blue Dragons opened the Jayhawk West season with a pair of impressive victories over Garden City on Wednesday at Hobart-Detter Field.

Giesbrecht's one-hitter was part of a Game 1 10-0 five-inning run-rule victory over the Broncbusters. The pitching shined again in Game 2 as Sam Ojeda, Caden Wanless and Cole Toureau held The Busters to one run and nine hits in a 6-1 victory

The Blue Dragons improved to 14-4 overall and 2-0 in the Jayhawk West. Garden City fell to 2-17 overall and 0-2 in the league. Games 3 and 4 of the four-game conference series will be at 1 and 3:30 p.m. at Williams Stadium in Garden City.

GAME 1 RECAP – Hutchinson 10, Garden City 0 (5 innings)
Giesbrecht allowed a two-out single to Brett Barber in the first inning as his only blemish on an impressive performance. All Giesbrecht did after giving up that hit, Giesbrecht retired 13 consecutive batters.

Giesbrecht struck out seven and needed 56 pitches get his first complete game of the season.

Giesbrecht is the first Blue Dragon pitcher to toss a complete-game one-hitter since February 8, 2020 when Dawson Linder matched the feat against NOC-Enid in Enid, Oklahoma.

Offensively, the Blue Dragons staked Giesbrecht with plenty of runs.

The Dragons took an immediately 3-0 lead when Colin Cymbalista hit a two-run home run and Luis Pimentel-Guerrero followed that with a solo home run.

The Blue Dragons scored four runs in the first, two in the second and walked off with a four-run fifth inning.

Pimentel-Guerrero had a season-high four RBIs and tied a season high with three hits, going 3 for 4 with a solo home run, RBI double and two-run single.

Cymbalista was 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs. Cody Gunderson was 2 for 2 with an RBI.

The Blue Dragons had seven hits, but was able to take advantage of seven walks, six hit batters and seven stolen bases. Hank Griffin and Blake Bradford had two stolen bases each.

GAME 2 RECAP – Hutchinson 6, Garden City 1
Pimentel-Guerrero competed a seven-RBI day going 2 for 3 with two singles and three RBIs. He had a sacrifice fly in the first inning and had a two-run single in Hutchinson's four-run fourth inning.

The only extra-base hit of Game two was a leadoff eighth-inning triple by Griffin.

The Blue Dragons were out-hit 9-7.

Ojeda (2-1) worked five shutout innings to lead the Dragons on the mound. Ojeda scattered six hits and walked two. He was aided by two inning-ending double plays in the second and third innings. Ojeda kept the shut out intact in the fifth when leftfielder Bradford, third baseman Vassart and Cymbalista teamed up to throw out Wyatt Anderson at the plate.

Caden Wanless allowed an unearned run in 2 1-3 innings of work. Wanless struck out four. Toureau had four strikeouts in 1 2-3 innings.

Dragon pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts in Game 2.