DRAGONS FALL SHORT OF BUTLER UPSET

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

EL DORADO – Fifth-inning home runs by Kiara DeCrane and Ashley Wilson had the Hutchinson Community College softball team thinking upset of No. 17 Butler on Wednesday.

But the two-time NJCAA national champions rallied with one run in the sixth and walked off with an 8-7 victory in Game 1 of a Jayhawk East doubleheader. The Grizzlies broke Game 2 open with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to run-rule the Blue Dragons in a 9-1 victory.

The Blue Dragons fall to 10-14 overall and 5-9 in the Jayhawk East. The Grizzlies improve to 17-5 overall and 9-1 in conference play. Hutchinson plays host to Dodge City at 3 and 5 p.m. on Friday at Fun Valley. That series was moved up a day because of potential rain issues on Saturday.

GAME 1 RECAP
After being run-ruled twice in the first meeting of the season on March 26 at Fun Valley, the Blue Dragons came out swinging in Game 1 on Wednesday.

Hutchinson took a 3-0 lead with three unearned runs in the top of the second inning. After Hutch scored its first run on one of two Butler errors in the inning, Caitlin Schumacher singled in a run and Shelby Felvus hit an RBI ground-out to cap the three-run inning.

Beanie Luttig gave Hutchinson a 4-2 lead after her one-out single scored Alexis Way in the top of the third. Butler scored three runs in the next two innings to take a 5-4 lead after four innings.

DeCrane hit a solo home run with out in the fifth inning. After a Luttig single, Wilson hit a two-run home run to center field to give the Blue Dragons a 7-4 lead.

The Grizzlies scored an unearned run in the sixth to pull in 7-6. In the seventh, Butler got its first two batters on. With one out, pinch hitter Asia Henry doubled to center to plate two runs with a walk-off victory.

Luttig had three hits to lead Hutchinson's 10-hit attack against Butler. Brynne Stockman also had three hits and scored one run. DeCrane's home run was her first of the season. Wilson launched her second homer of the season.

Maryssa Rollin (3-1) was strapped with the loss. Rollin, who entered the game in the sixth, allowed two hits and two runs with a walk and no strikeouts in suffering her first loss of the season.

Bailey Brawner worked the first 5 1-3 innings for a no decision. Brawner gave up nine hits, six runs and three earned runs. She struck out three and walked three.

GAME 2 RECAP
Taylor Ullery homered to lead off the third inning which broke a scoreless tie in the second time. Unfortunately, it was all Grizzlies after that.

Butler scored four runs in the bottom of the third and then blew the game open with five runs in the bottom of the sixth.

The Blue Dragons were out-hit 12-5 in the second game. Ullery went 2 for 3 with her fifth home run of the season. DeCrane went 2 for 2 and was hit by a pitch. Brynne Stockman had the other hit for the Blue Dragons.

Megan Davis (5-6) took the complete-game loss for Hutch in Game 2. She worked 5 2-3 innings, allowing 12 hits and nine runs. She walked a career-high seven and struck out three.