LUTTIG LEAVES YARD TWICE TO HELP HUTCH SPLIT WITH INDY

Sabrina Luttig had two home runs in a game for the second time this season in Hutch's 11-1 Jayhawk East win over Independence in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Indy on Tuesday. (Bre Rogers/Blue Dragon Sports Information)
Sabrina Luttig had two home runs in a game for the second time this season in Hutch's 11-1 Jayhawk East win over Independence in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Indy on Tuesday. (Bre Rogers/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

INDEPENDENCE – Sophomore catcher Sabrina Luttig hit two home runs and Megan Davis pitched another gem as the Hutchinson Community College softball team earned its first conference victory of 2019 in a split with Independence on Tuesday afternoon.

The Blue Dragons exploded for 14 hits as Hutchinson downed Independence 11-1 in the second game of a Jayhawk East doubleheader earn a split with the Pirates. Indy dominated Game 1, defeating Hutchinson 5-0. The Blue Dragons went 2-2 in their two-day, four-game road trip to Southeast Kansas.

The Blue Dragons (6-8 overall, 1-5 Jayhawk East) will start a 5-day, 10-game stretch on Saturday at Fun Valley with the Pratt Beavers in a Jayhawk Conference matchup. Eight of those 10 games will be at Fun Valley against Pratt, Fort Scott, Butler and Garden City.

GAME 2 RECAP
Luttig had her second two home-run game of the season on Tuesday. She also hit two homers against Barton on March 9. She hit solo home runs in the first and third innings to help the Blue Dragons build a 3-0 lead.

Luttig has a team-high four home runs.

Going 2 for 3 in the game, Luttig helped the Blue Dragons break out of an offensive slump. The Dragons had 14 hits, the most hits in the last seven games. It was also the first time in seven games that the Blue Dragons had 10 or more runs in a game.

Every Blue Dragon starter had at least one hit in the game.

Sophomore Bailey Brawner made her second start as the Blue Dragon designated player in Game 2 went 2 for 3 and walked twice. Caitlin Schumacher and A.J. Briones both went 2 for 4. Briones scored two runs while Schumacher added one run scored.

Sophomore Shelby Felvus had a career-high three RBIs while going 1 for 5.

Coming off her first career shutout on Monday against Allen, Davis tossed a second-straight complete game on Tuesday. Davis evened her season record at 3-3 by scattering six hits, none for extra bases. She allowed only one earned run and one walk while striking out two in seven innings.

Davis allowed just one run in 14 innings on the road trip in picking up two wins.

Leading 3-1 after three innings, but Blue Dragons broke the game open with four-run innings in the fourth and seventh frames.

Independence also committed five errors in Game 2.

GAME 1 RECAP
The Blue Dragons were shut out for the second time this season, this time in a complete-game performance with three strikeouts by Independence pitcher Jennifer Dunnigan. She struck out three Blue Dragons and issued no walks.

The Dragons had just six hits, all singles off Dunnigan. Only one Dragon reached second base in the opener.

Luttig was 2 for 3, while Alexis Way, Brynne Stockman, Brawner and Schumacher collected the other hits.

Independence scored two runs in the first and fourth innings and added a single tally in the sixth against starter Madison Lewellen and Brawner.

Lewellen (0-5) took the loss with 3 1-3 innings pitched. She allowed eight hits and four runs with three strikeouts and three walks. Brawner worked 2 2-3 innings out of the bullpen. She allowed four hits and only one run.