Hutchinson CC Sports Information
DODGE CITY – Trailing twice in its Region VI Softball Tournament match-up with the Barton Cougars, the second-seeded Hutchinson Community College softball team came up with some clutch performances late to help the Blue Dragons advance in the winner's bracket on Friday.
Morgan Tomlinson pitched 4 2-3 innings of shutout relief while Brie Brawner drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over the Cougars at Legends Park.
The Blue Dragons improved to 43-9 overall and will advance to the winner's bracket final to meet tournament top-seed Butler at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Legends Park. The 2024 Blue Dragons surpass the 1987 Blue Dragons for the second-most wins in program history.
BLUE DRAGON SOFTBALL
Hutchinson vs. Butler - Region VI Tournament Winner's Bracket Semifinal
When: Saturday, May 4, 2024
At: Legends Park, Dodge City, KS
Time: 4 p.m.
Video: KJCCC Network (pay-per-view), 4 p.m.
X: @bluedragonsport
Tomlinson and the bottom of the Blue Dragon batting order came up big against the Cougars on Saturday.
Trailing 3-1 in the third inning, Tomlinson entered the pitching circle with runners and second and third and one out. Tomlinson got a strikeout and groundout to get out of the inning.
Barton threatened again in the fourth with a runner at third and two out. Center fielder Korri Lies ended the threat with a long running catch in shallow right-center field to end the inning. Then in the sixth, Barton had runners at 1st and 2nd to start the inning, but Tomlinson got a force out at third, a ground ball to short that moved the runners to second and third and a strikeout to end the threat with no runs scored and keep the game tied at 3-3.
The Dragons broke through in the bottom of the sixth inning. With runners at first and second and one out, Brawner singled through the left side of the infield to score Lies from second with the go-ahead run.
Tomlinson then worked a 1-2-3 seventh to close out the game and improve her record to 15-1, which ties Amy Derischweiler (2006) for 12th in single-season wins by a Blue Dragon pitcher. Tomlinson allowed three hits and no walks with two strikeouts.
Brawner drove in three runs on Friday, going 2 for 3 to pace the Blue Dragons. Brawner delivers a two-out, two-run double in the second inning to score Lies and Brooke Backhaus, tying the game at 2-2.
Lies was 3 for 3 for the second-straight game with three runs scored. Trailing 3-2 in the fourth, Lies doubled to lead off the inning. Brooke Backhaus singled her home to tie the game.
Brooke Backhaus was 2 for 3 and Olivia Sandoval went 2 for 3 to pace the Blue Dragons.
The Blue Dragons play in the Region 6 winner's bracket final for the second-straight season.