WERTZ NAMED KJCCC/NJCAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Blue Dragon sophomore Riley Wertz was named the KJCCC and the NJCAA Division I Pitcher of the Week.
Blue Dragon sophomore Riley Wertz was named the KJCCC and the NJCAA Division I Pitcher of the Week.
March 8, 2023

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Hutchinson Community College All-American relief pitcher Riley Wertz went 1-1 with one save in four Jayhawk Conference games for the No. 20 Blue Dragons last week.

For that outstanding effort, Wertz was named the Jayhawk Conference Division I and NJCAA Division I National Pitcher of the Week.

This was Wertz's fourth career conference Pitcher of the Week honor and her first on the national level. The sophomore from Maize is the first Blue Dragon to earn NJCAA National Player/Pitcher honors since Madison Grimes on March 3, 2021. Wertz is the first NJCAA National Pitcher of the Week since February 12, 2020 when Jordan Galliher earned the honor.

Wertz pitched a three-inning save in Hutchinson's 5-1 victory over Colby last Wednesday. She struck out a season-high seven. 

Then against Butler, in the Dragons' 5-4 walkoff victory in Game 1 of that doubleheader on Saturday at Fun Valley, Wertz pitched 3 2-3 innings with seven strikeouts to earn the victory. Wertz went 4 2-3 innings in the Dragons' 10-inning loss to the Grizzlies. 

Over 11 2-3 innings pitched, Wertz had 19 strikeouts and allowed eight hits and one earned run. Wertz now has 12 career saves, one shy of the Jayhawk Conference career record for saves.