Hutchinson CC Sports Information

GREAT BEND – The Hutchinson Community College softball team ran its winning streak to eight games on Friday, but had to rally in both ends of a KJCCC doubleheader against the Barton Cougars to do so.

The Blue Dragons scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning in the first game to defeat Barton 7-5. The Game 2 rally wasn't quite as dramatic as Hutchinson came back from a two-run deficit after three innings to defeat the Cougars 8-3.

Hutchinson improved to 20-4 overall and took sole possession of first place in the Jayhawk Conference with an 11-1 league record. The Blue Dragons play host to Pratt at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Fun Valley. Barton falls to 12-12 overall, 6-6 in the KJCCC

The Blue Dragons trailed 4-0 in Game 1 after two innings and was down 5-3 heading into their final at-bat. With runners and second and third with two out, Allie Stipsits lined a single to right-center to score Natalie Bevan and Carley Sterneker to tie the game at 5-all. Two pitches later, Aspen Goetz hit a two-run home run to right field to give Hutchinson a 7-5 lead.

Down 3-1 in Game 2, the Blue Dragons grabbed control of the game with a five-run fifth inning. Ella Dougherty started the rally with a leadoff home run to center field. That was followed by a Bevan RBI single and Sterneker RBI groundout to take the lead. Riley Wertz capped the huge inning with a two-run home run that gave the Dragons a 6-3 lead.

After the Dragons grabbed leads in both games, Wertz took it from there in the pitcher's circle.
Wertz – the reigning national Pitcher of the Week who earned wins in both games Friday – improved to 8-0 this season.
Wertz worked the final 1 2-3 innings in Game 1, retiring 5 of the 6 batters she faced with three strikeouts. Wertz then pitched the final 4 2-3 innings for the Game 2 win. Wertz struck out nine in the second game, striking out the side in the fifth. Wertz allowed only two baserunners, a walk and single to start the Cougar sixth. She quashed that potential rally with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout.

GAME 1 RECAP
After the Blue Dragons fell behind 4-0 after two innings, the chipped away and pulled within a run after five innings.

The Blue Dragons got on the board with a Wertz RBI single and a two-out bases-loaded walk to Dougherty in the fourth. Wertz cut the Barton lead to 4-3 with an RBI double that scored Sterneker in the fifth.

The Cougars got a big insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Adreanna Lance hit a solo homer to left for a 5-3 Barton lead.

Hutchinson's seventh-inning rally was set up by a one-out double by Bevan and a Sterneker single. Stipsits then tied the game two batters later with her single to right-center. Goetz's go-ahead two-run homer was her second of the season.

After a rough start by freshman Emily Munson, sophomore Sadie Loney pitched four gritty innings of relief for Hutchinson. Loney allowed three hits, three walks and one earned run, but kept the Blue Dragons within striking distance.

The Blue Dragons out-hit Barton 11-6 in the first game.

Sterneker had her fifth three-hit game of the season, going 3 for 4 with a double and three runs scored. Wertz was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs. Goetz was 2 for 3 with a homer and two RBIs and Bevan was 2 for 4 with a double and run scored.

GAME 2 RECAP
Barton built a 3-1 lead after a Jaysa Anderson two-run home run in the third inning off Kiersten Weitze. The Blue Dragons answered with the final seven runs scored in the game, five of those came in a momentum-switching five-run fifth inning.

Eight of the nine Blue Dragon starters collected at least one hit in a 15-hit attack in the second game.

Stipsits had her first career four-hit game, going 4 for 4 with two doubles to lead the Blue Dragons in the second game.

Haley Miller was 2 for 4 with a double and run scored. Madison Grimes was 2 for 3 with a run scored and run driven in. Wertz was 2 for 4 with a homer, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Bevan extended her hit streak to eight games, going 1 for 4. Goetz completed a four RBI doubleheader with two RBIs in the second game.

Weitze and Wertz held Barton to six hits in the second game.