Hutchinson CC Sports Information

DODGE CITY – Dodge City leadoff hitter Jessica Espinoza went 4 for 4 and the Conquistadors pounded out 13 hits that sent the Hutchinson Community College softball team to the brink of elimination on Friday.

The Conquistadors defeated Hutchinson 12-4 in six innings in the opening round of the Division I Region VI Tournament at Legends Park. The Blue Dragons had their 16-game winning streak snapped.

Hutchinson (26-15) will play Garden City in the first round of the elimination bracket at 9 a.m. on Saturday. If the Dragons win, they will play the Barton/Independence loser at 1 p.m. If Hutch wins that game, it would play again at 5 p.m. on Saturday in a third-round elimination game.

Beanie Luttig hit two solo home runs and Taylor Ullery had a two-run single, but Dodge City out-hit the Blue Dragons 13-7.

Espinoza reached base in all five plate appearances, going 4 for 4 with two doubles, a home run, four runs scored and three RBIs. Espinoza doubled to lead off Dodge's two-run first. She hit a two-run home run in a four-run second that gave Dodge City a 6-1 lead.

Hutchinson starter Maryssa Rollin (10-2) worked a season-low 1 1-3 innings in taking only her second loss of the season. Rollin allowed four hits, six runs and three walks with a season-low one strikeout. Megan Davis pitched 4 1-3 innings with nine hits and six runs allowed.

Added to her performance at the plate, Espinoza was the winning pitcher, working four innings with six hits, four runs and a walk allowed. Allie Hufford worked two scoreless innings for the save.

Trailing 6-1, the Blue Dragons climbed back into the contest with a three-run fourth inning. Luttig led off with her second home run of the game, this one to center field. Ashley Wilson then reached on an error and Caitlin Schumacher singled. They scored on Ullery's two-run single to center to cut the Dragon deficit to 6-4.

Dodge City put the game away with three runs in each the fifth and sixth innings.

Rollin, Wilson and Kiara DeCrane had the other Hutch hits in the tournament opener.