Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The No. 17-ranked Hutchinson Community College softball team earned its first Jayhawk Conference doubleheader sweep of the season after taking a pair from the Northwest Tech Mavericks.
The Blue Dragons took advantage of 10 walks issued by the Mavericks as Jaala Nowlin and Dakota Lake combined for a five-hit shutout in a 14-0 victory in Game 1. Bailey Backhaus, Jaeleigh Darnell and Brie Brawner had three RBIs each while Delaney Blakesley and Lake teamed up for a three-hit shutout in a 15-0 victory. Both games were five-inning run-rule games.
Hutchinson is now 10-4 overall and 3-1 in league play. The Blue Dragons conclude their six-game homestand on Tuesday against the Pratt Beavers at 2 and 4 p.m. on Fun Valley. That doubleheader was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but was moved up a day because of cold weather forecast for Wednesday.
Sophomore third baseman Olivia Sandoval had her consecutive-game hitting streak come to an end at 28 games after Game 1 on Saturday. Sandoval completes the second-longest hit streak in Blue Dragon Softball history, only to Lexi Williams' 31-game hit streak in 2021. Sandoval went 0 for 2 with two walks in Game 1. She reached on an error and lined out to right field and drew two walks in the opener. She started a new streak going 1 for 2 with a double and two walks in Game 2.
GAME 1 RECAP – Hutchinson 14, Northwest Tech 0
The Blue Dragons set the tone for the day right away.
First Nowlin retired the Mavericks in order to start the game. She was immediately staked to a six-run lead in the bottom of the first. Darnell and Alexis Mastin had back-to-back two-run doubles to give the Dragons a 4-0 lead. The Dragons scored two more unearned runs on a Tech error for a 6-0 lead.
The Mavericks looks to get back into the game by loading the bases with no outs in the top of the second. She tossed a pair of strikeouts and caught pop-up to get out of the inning unscored upon.
The Blue Dragons scored two runs in the third inning and six more runs in the fourth to break the game open.
Hutchinson had just seven hits in Game 1, but the Mavericks fueled the Blue Dragon offense with 10 walks, two hit batters and four errors.
Madi Divis came off the bench to have the only multi-hit game in Game 1. She had a pair of doubles with a run and two RBIs. Darnell was 1 for 3 with a double and two RBIs. Mastin was 1 for 2 with a two-run double. Brawner was 1 for 2 with three runs scored and an RBI.
Bailey Backhaus, Sandoval, Annie Kealey and Korri Lies all scored two runs each.
Nowlin (1-1) worked a season-long four innings and allowed five hits. She struck out two and walked none. Lake struck out the side in the fifth inning.
GAME 2 RECAP – Hutchinson 15, Northwest Tech 0
The Blue Dragons pounded out 11 total hits, five for extra bases to go with nine Northwest Tech walks.
The Dragons scored six runs in the first, five in the second, one in the third and three runs in the fourth inning.
Bailey Backhaus, Darnell and Brawner paced the Blue Dragons offensively.
Bailey Backhaus went 2 for 2 with three RBIs – an RBI single and two-run double.
Darnell had an RBI groundout and two-run home run, her third of the season, to account for her three RBIs.
Brawner went 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles for her season-high three RBIs.
Nine different Dragon players collected hits in Game 2.
Blakesley improved to 3-0 for the season, going the first three innings with two hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Lake struck out five batters and allowed just one hit over two innings.