BLUE DRAGONS DROP PAIR AT MURRAY STATE
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
TISHOMINGO, Okla. – The Hutchinson Community College softball team's offense has been on a tear all season long.
But on Saturday, Murray State's offense out-gunned Hutchinson in a doubleheader sweep of the Blue Dragons.
Murray State rallied from down four runs in Game 1 to defeat Hutchinson 8-7. The Aggies scored four first-inning runs in a 12-4 victory over Hutchinson in six innings.
The Blue Dragons fall to 4-4 overall and are scheduled to play host to the Friends University JV on Tuesday at Fun Valley. Murray State improves to 8-2.
GAME 1 RECAP
The Blue Dragons looked to be in good shape after 3 1/2 innings. Bailey Pennycuff's sacrifice fly and Lexi Williams' RBI single in the top of the fourth gave Hutchinson a 5-1 lead.
Murray State then exploded for three runs in the fourth, three more in the fifth and a single run in the sixth to lead 8-5 heading into the final inning.
The Blue Dragons mounted a comeback of their own in the seventh.
Natalie Bevan doubled home Madison Grimes to cut the deficit to 8-6. Carley Sterneker then singled home Bevan to make it 8-7 and had the bases loaded with no out. Caroline Pattison returned to the pitching circle and ended the Dragon threat with a strikeout, a force out at home and a pop out to end the game.
Each team had 11 hits.
Williams, Grimes and Kylee Dunn had two hits each to lead the Blue Dragons. Dunn and Bevan both doubled in the game, the only extra-base hits for Hutchinson. Dunn drove in a pair of runs. Williams, Grimes, Bevan, Sterneker and Pennycuff all drove in runs.
The Blue Dragons had five stolen bases, including two from Williams.
Murray State had six extra-base hits, including a Katlyn Dennison home run.
Samarah Bailey was the losing pitcher for Hutchinson, pitching 1 2-3 innings in relief of Jordan Galliher.
GAME 2 RECAP
The Blue Dragons opened the scoring in Game 2 when Williams scored on a Grimes' groundout. Murray State answered with four runs in the bottom of the first and led 6-1 after four innings.
Hutchinson got back within striking distance in the top of the fifth. Alexis Way scored on the back end of a double steal with Williams, who scored on a Grimes' single. Two batters later, Dunn doubled home Grimes to cut the Aggie lead to 6-4.
Once again, Murray State answered the Blue Dragons and scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth to invoke the run rule.
Grimes and Dunn both went 2 for 3 to lead the Blue Dragons in Game 2. Dunn had a double and Williams stole a single-game career-high four bases.
Miguela Guajardo started in the circle and was the losing pitcher, allowing four hits and five runs.