Hutchinson CC Sports Information
PARSONS – The Hutchinson Community College softball team struggled to get consistent big hits on Tuesday, going on the road and getting swept by the Labette Cardinals.
The Blue Dragons stranded a combined 18 runners on base in a 6-4 loss in Game 1 and a 5-4 loss in nine inning in Game 2.
Hutchinson is now 24-9 overall and will open the second half of Jayhawk Conference play on Saturday at Butler in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. at East Park in El Dorado.
GAME 1 – Labette 6, Hutchinson 4
Freshman Leyla O’Connor had RBI hits in each of the first two innings as the Blue Dragons built a 4-1 lead. After that, the Dragon bats went silent with only three hits and five total baserunners over the final five innings.
O’Connor went 2 for 4 with two RBIs to lead Hutchinson, which out-hit Labette 8-5. O’Connor had an RBI single in the first inning to drive in the first Blue Dragon run. Her RBI double in the second gave the Dragons a 4-1 lead.
Sophomore Addi Lutz was 2 for 3 with a pair of singles and a run scored. Sophomore Kaibryn Kruger went 2 for 3 with a double, stolen base and run scored.
Hailey Ediger (4-4) suffered the loss in the pitching circle. She worked 4 1-3 innings and allowed four hits and five runs with two strikeouts and three walks.
Labette scored two runs in the fourth to pull within 4-3 and the Cardinals took the lead with a three-run fifth inning.
The Blue Dragon defense committed three errors. Hutchinson left nine runners on base in Game 1.
GAME 2 – Labette 5, Hutchinson 4 – 9 innings
The Blue Dragons trailed 4-1 after three innings.
The comeback started with a leadoff Kruger home run and a Tailor Golly sacrifice fly that scored Riley Dreher to pull the Dragons within 4-3 after five innings.
The Dragons took a 5-4 lead with three-straight doubles from Kaci Young, Kruger and Dreher in the top of the sixth to lead 4-3. A leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth to the Cardinals doomed the Dragons as it came around to score the tying run. The game was tied 4-4 after seven innings.
The Blue Dragons stranded runners at second and third in the eighth and at third in the ninth. Labette had runners at second and third with one out in the bottom of the ninth when a Blue Dragon error ended the game.
The Blue Dragons out-hit Labette 13-8. Kruger went 2 for 3 with an RBI double, her fifth home run of the season, a stolen base and three runs scored.
Dreher extended her hitting streak to 14 games with a hit in Game 1 and going 3 for 5 with two doubles in Game 2. Gabby Stauffer was also 3 for 5. Hadlie Topping went 2 for 4 and Young was 2 for 4 with a double.
Young (3-1) took the loss after pitching 5 2-3 innings of relief taking over for starter Alyssa Rogers. Young allowed four hits, two runs and two walks with three strikeouts.
