BLUE DRAGON SOFTBALL |
No. 17 Hutchinson (7-3, 0-0) vs. Colby (4-4, 0-0)
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| When: Thursday, February 22, 2024 Where: Fun Valley Field 3, Hutchinson, KS Times: Game 1 – 2 p.m.; Game 2 – 30 minutes after completion of Game 1 Video: Blue Dragon Sports Network, 1:45 p.m. Game 1 Link Game 2 Link X: @bluedragonsport |
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College softball team plays at home for the first time on Thursday since clinching the 2023 Jayhawk Conference championship last April at Fun Valley.
The No. 17-ranked Blue Dragons play host to the Colby Trojans in the 2024 Jayhawk Conference-opening doubleheader at 2 and 4 p.m. Then on Saturday, Hutchinson plays Northwest Tech in a Jayhawk Conference doubleheader at 1 and 3 p.m. at Fun Valley.
The Blue Dragons enter the season with a 7-3 overall record. The Dragons opened the season with six-straight wins before dropping 3 of 4 this past weekend to Murray State and North Central Texas.
Colby has dropped three games in a row and is 4-4 to open the season. The Trojans started the season 4-1 with three-straight five-inning run-rule victories.
The Blue Dragons are currently second in the Jayhawk Conference with a team batting average of .366. Hutchinson is averaging 7.4 runs per game, which includes a tough offensive weekend in which they scalded several balls right at opposing defenders against both Murray State and North Central Texas.
Sophomore right-fielder Jaeleigh Darnell leads Hutchinson with a .519 batting average. She has four doubles and eight RBIs.
Sophomore third baseman Olivia Sandoval carries a 26-game hitting streak into the into Thursday's doubleheader. Sandoval is hitting .500 with five doubles and 10 RBIs.
Leadoff hitter and shortstop Bailey Backhaus is hitting .452 with a .548 on-base percentage. Sophomore catcher Alexis Mastin has team highs with four homers and 16 RBIs while hitting. 281. Sophomore utility player Tamara Lozoya is hitting .414 and has a .517 on-base percentage.
Freshman pitcher Dakota Lake is 1-1 with three saves and a 1.85 earned-run average to lead a Blue Dragon pitching staff, which has a 3.82 team ERA through 10 games. Lake has worked 22 2-3 innings and has strike out 35.
Sophomores Delaney Blakesley and Korri Lies are both 2-0 in the circle for the Dragons.
Colby is hitting .368 and is scoring 7.0 runs per game. Freshman Jenna Funk is hitting. 600 with three homers and 14 RBIs to lead Colby. The Trojan pitching staff has a team 4.72 ERA. Freshman Mia Rauzi is 3-1 with two complete games and a 2.42 ERA.
Last season the Blue Dragons took 4 of 5 from Colby, including a 6-4 victory in the Region VI Tournament loser's bracket final.