By Steve Carpenter
Blue Dragon Sports Information Director

OXFORD, Alabama – From Day 1 of her Blue Dragon career, sophomore Olivia Sandoval was been penciled into the No. 2 spot in the batting order playing third base.

Not one time over Sandoval's two-year career at Hutchinson Community College has head coach Jaime Rose ever deviated from that decision.

Sandoval's very first hit in her very first at-bat in January of 2023 was a double and she went 4 for 4. Sandoval now owns the Blue Dragon career record for doubles.

The sophomore from Newton's legacy won't be just tied to that doubles' record, though. Sandoval has been part of two history-making Blue Dragon softball teams in 2023 and 2024.

Now Sandoval will close out her consistent and spectacular Blue Dragon career at a place no other Blue Dragon softball player has ever experienced – playing in the NJCAA Softball World Series.

BLUE DRAGON SOFTBALL
No. 15 Hutchinson (46-10) vs. No. 19 Connors State (39-12)
NJCAA Division I National Tournament Opening Round
When: Monday, May 20, 2024
At: Field 4, Choccolocco Park, Oxford, AL
Time: 1 p.m.
Video: NJCAA TV (Pay-per-view)
X: @bluedragonsport

"When we walked off the (Region 6 Tournament) field last year in Dodge City, it was very sad," Sandoval said referring to losing in the 2023 championship game to Butler. "Those girls from last year were amazing people and amazing players. When we walked off the field last year, this year's sophomores knew that this was going to be our year."

Sandoval and the Region 6 Champion Blue Dragons open the NJCAA Division I Softball World Series at 1 p.m. on Monday as the No. 15 seed. The Blue Dragons will take on No. 19-seed Connors State in the opening round of the 20-team double-elimination tournament at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama.

This will be Hutchinson's first World Series appearance in program history, which started in 1986.

The Blue Dragons won the 1987 Region 6 Tournament, but went 1-2 in the district tournament, falling short of the World Series. Two weeks ago in Dodge City, the Blue Dragons captured the program's first regional title in 37 years. This year, the Region 6 champion received an automatic bid to the World Series.

Sandoval's offensive numbers are impressive to say the least. The game itself, is a driving force for Sandoval.

"The intensity of the game and the situations like hitting with two out and I have to come through, that energizes me," Sandoval said. "It gets me pumped and when I come through and execute, it's the greatest feeling in the world."

As a freshman, Sandoval hit .435 with 77 hits, 11 doubles, two home runs, 59 RBIs and scoring 60 runs.

Think those are hard numbers to top?

Sandoval this season is hitting .472 with 92 hits, 21 doubles, a triple, six home runs with 67 RBIs and 73 runs scored.

Oh, by the way, hitting in two-out situations in her career, Sandoval is a .400 hitter (42 for 105) with 52 career two-out RBIs.

Just for an added plug to her numbers, Sandoval raised her defensive fielding percentage 85 points from her freshman year and is fielding .906 this year.

"I put Liv at No. 2 and have never once thought about moving her," Rose said. "She continually found a way to get the job done. Whether she needs to move a runner up or start a rally, she is the most consistent hitter we have ever had.

"She has unbelievable plate coverage. There is not a hole in her swing. She is tough to throw to because of her plate coverage.

Sandoval started this season with a 12-game hitting streak, which attached to the hitting streak she ended her freshman season with, was the second-longest hitting streak in program history at 38 games.

Sandoval has had at least one hit in 90 of 108 career games. The longest streak without a hit was three games, done once in each of her two seasons. She has 50 career multi-hit games – 29 two-hit games, 14 three-hit games, six four-hit games and one five-hit games. She has had career multi-RBI games.

For her career, Sandoval enters the World Series with a career .454 batting average, 133 total hits – the most for a Blue Dragon player over a two-year span – 126 RBIs and 133 runs scored. Her 52 extra-base hits rank No. 2 in Blue Dragon history.

She ranks in the Top 3 of nine different offensive categories.

"Liv comes to practice every day and wants to practice," Rose said. "She just wants to be there and is always looking forward to working at her craft."

All the numbers aside, Sandoval feels her greatest accomplishments in two seasons with the Blue Dragons are the team accomplishments.

The Blue Dragons snapped a 32-year drought in 2023 by winning the Jayhawk Conference title. This year, the Blue Dragons finally broke through and defeated rival Butler to get to the World Series.

Over her two seasons, Sandoval and Blue Dragons have won a whopping 91 games, the most in any two-year span in program history.

"It was a constant grind this season," Sandoval said. "We just kept competing and competing and competing. When we came out on top, that was the greatest feeling ever. Our work and our dedication showed and to experience that and come (to the World Series), it's just incredible.

"I really wish Hutchinson was a four-year school so I could play for Coach Rose all four seasons."