DOUGHERTY LEADS DRAGONS TO SWEEP WITH 6-HIT DAY
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
GOODLAND – Freshman second baseman Ella Dougherty extended her hitting streak to 16 games with a season-high six hits in a doubleheader to lead the No. 20 Hutchinson Community College softball team to a Jayhawk Conference doubleheader sweep of Northwest Tech on Wednesday afternoon.
Dougherty was a combined 6 for 8 with five RBIs as the Blue Dragons extended their winning streak to six games after victories of 8-2 and 13-4 in five innings over the Mavericks.
The Blue Dragons improved to 32-6 overall and 23-3 in the Jayhawk Conference. The wins secure no worse than a second-place conference finish for Hutchinson. The Blue Dragons have three conference doubleheaders remaining. Hutchinson plays host to Garden City on Saturday at Fun Valley.
Hutchinson's 32 season wins are the ninth most in program history.
Dougherty tied a season high with four hits in Game 1 on Wednesday. She was 4 for 4 with a double and her second home run of the season. Dougherty also became the second Blue Dragon this season to reach the 50-hit plateau, joining Haley Miller. Dougherty was 2 for 4 with two doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored in the second game.
Dougherty's 16-game hitting streak is now the fourth-longest in team history and the longest since Miller's 15-game hit streak that started last season and continued at the start of this season.
GAME 1 RECAP
In addition to Dougherty's big Game 1, freshman catcher Allie Stipsits went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Her fourth home run of the season was a two-run shot to left field that gave the Blue Dragons a 4-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning.
Sophomore Madison Grimes had an RBI double.
The Blue Dragons broke the game open with a four-run sixth inning. Pinch runner Lexi Pitcher stole third and then scored on a wild pitch. Then with two runners on base, Dougherty singled to right field to drive in Aspen Goetz. After the right-fielder misplayed Dougherty's hit, Lexi McDaniel and Dougherty both scored to give the Blue Dragons an 8-2 lead.
Sophomore Sadie Loney (6-4) earned the pitching victory with four shutout innings of relief work. Loney allowed four hits and hit a batter. Loney entered the game in the fourth inning for starter Emily Munson, who allowed four hits and two earned runs in three-plus innings.
GAME 2 RECAP
Natalie Bevan hit her 13th career home run and moved into second place on the Blue Dragon career RBI list with 106 as the Blue Dragons pounded out 15 total hits, eight for extra bases, in a run-rule victory in Game 2.
Miller and Carley Sterneker had three hits each to lead the Blue Dragons. Miller went 3 for 4 with a double, two stolen bases, two runs and two RBIs. Sterneker was 3 for 4 with a double, two runs and one driven in.
Dougherty, Riley Wertz and Stipsits all had two hits. Wertz was 2 for 4 with a runs scored. Stipsits was 2 for 2 with a double, sacrifice fly, two runs scored and two RBIs.
The Blue Dragons scored three runs in the first inning, five in the third and four in the fifth inning.
Wertz (11-1) was the winning pitcher in relief in Game 2. She struck out five in three shutout innings.
The Game 2 win completed a four-game season sweep over Northwest Tech.