NO. 20 BLUE DRAGON RALLY FALLS SHORT VS. NO. 9 COWLEY

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

A late-inning rally came up just a bit short for the Hutchinson Community College baseball team on Tuesday against the Cowley Tigers in an NJCAA Top-20 midweek matchup at Hobart-Detter Field.

Trailing by five runs after five innings, Eli Duncan's home run to lead off the bottom of the ninth pulled the No. 20 Blue Dragons within two runs, but the No. 9 Tigers held on for a 6-4 victory.

The Blue Dragons are now 16-4 to start the season, matching the best start through 20 games in program history. The Blue Dragons open a four-game Jayhawk West series with co-preseason favorite Barton on Thursday at Hobart-Detter Field. Cowley is now 13-3.

Trailing 1-0 early, A.J. Mustow hit his second home run of the season to knot the game at 1-1 after two innings. Cowley immediately responded with a four-run third inning, keyed by a three-run Dawson Williams home run, for a 5-1 lead. The Tigers made it 6-1 with a single fifth-inning run.

The Dragon rally started in the eighth when Quinn Maher drove in Finn Hochstein on a fielder's choice. Mustow then singled home C.J. Reid to cut the Cowley led to 6-3 after eight innings.

Duncan then led off the bottom of the ninth with his third homer of the season to cut the Tiger lead to 6-4, but the Blue Dragons got no closer.

Eight team had eight hits.

Mustow led the Blue Dragons with a career-high-tying three hits, going 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. Duncan was 2 for 4 with a home run and one RBI. Reid, Anthony Mazza and Taber Stokes had the other Blue Dragon hits.

Six different pitchers worked for the Blue Dragons. Brooks Jones (0-1) took the loss. The Blue Dragons allowed only eight hits, but 10 walks. A.J. Doll, Aiden Doty and Brant Phillips had scoreless outings for the Blue Dragons. Cowley struck out eight times against Blue Dragon pitching.