GOETZ GOES OFF AGAIN; DRAGONS MOVE CLOSER TO HISTORY

Blue Dragon first baseman Aspen Goetz receives a high-five from head coach Jaime Rose after a grand slam in Game 2 on Thursday against Seward County at Fun Valley. (Andrew Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

April 27, 2023

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Sophomore Aspen Goetz had another huge day against Seward County and the No. 14-ranked Hutchinson Community College softball moved two wins closer to ending a 31-year title drought on Thursday at Fun Valley.

Goetz went a combined 6 for 7 with three home runs and 13 RBIs to lead the Blue Dragons to a pair of five-inning run-rule victories over the Saints. The Blue Dragons defeated Seward County 8-0 and 17-3 to complete a four-game season-series sweep of the Saints.

The Blue Dragons extended their winning streak to 10 games and improved to 39-6 overall. The Dragons maintained their one-game lead in the Jayhawk Conference over second-place Butler at 27-3. Hutchinson will try to clinch its first league championship since 1992 on Saturday when the Blue Dragons play host to the Pratt Beavers at 1 and 3 p.m. at Fun Valley. The Blue Dragons will have Sophomore Recognition Day and it will be Cancer Awareness Day.

Hutchinson's 39 wins tie the 1992 and 2011 Blue Dragon teams for the fourth-most wins in program history.

Goetz made her own history on Thursday by breaking three career or single-season Blue Dragon records.

Her combined three home runs gave her 16 for the season and 23 for her career. Goetz broke the single-season home run record shared by Jaime Tanno (2011) and Raven Bass (2018). Goetz's grand slam in the third inning of Game 2 broke the Blue Dragon career record, previously held by Tanno (2011-12).

Her combined 11 RBIs against Seward County gave her 83 for the season, breaking teammate Madison Grimes' old record of 78 set in 2021. Now with 122 career RBIs, Goetz is second in that category, trailing only Grimes.

Goetz went 4 for 4 with two home runs, a double and nine RBIs in the second game on Thursday. The nine RBIs are second most in single-game Blue Dragon history. Goetz owns the top two single-game RBI performances in Blue Dragon history. She drove in a career-best 10 RBIs at Seward County on March 22.

The Blue Dragon sophomore first baseman is 14 for 17 (.824 batting average) with four doubles, six home runs, 12 runs scored and 26 RBIs against the Saints in four games this season.

The Blue Dragons set two new team records on Thursday, breaking records for runs scored in a season (448) and most doubles in a season (113).

GAME 1 RECAP
A five-run first inning – highlighted by Goetz's three-run home run to left field – set the tone for the day as the Blue Dragons needed just 1 hour, 5 minutes to earn a run-rule win in the opener.

Hutchinson scored eight runs in its first two trips to the plate.

The Dragons had eight hits in Game 1, led by Goetz, who went 2 for 3 with a double, home runs and four RBIs. Alexis Mastin was 2 for 3 with a double and run scored.

Ella Dougherty, Olivia Sandoval and Jaeleigh Darnell all had doubles. Sandoval, Darnell and Riley Wertz all drove in runs. Sandoval now has 19 doubles for the season, which ties her with Natalie Bevan for third in the single-season doubles list.

Emily Munson and Wertz combined for Hutchinson's 15th shutout of the season. Munson (7-0) earned her 17th career victory with three scoreless innings. Munson allowed three hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Wertz had five strikeouts in two perfect innings.

GAME 2 RECAP
The Blue Dragons hammered out 19 hits, six for extra bases in the second game.

Goetz had a three-run home run in a five-run first inning, a grand slam in a six-run third and a two-run double in a four-run fourth inning.

Madison Grimes went 3 for 4 in Game 2. She moved into second place on the Jayhawk Conference career hits list with 206. Grimes scored three runs and had an RBI.

Darnell went 2 for 3 with a home run and four RBIs. She hit a two-run homer to right field in the third inning.

Mastin and Allie Stipsits had two hits each. Sandoval went 2 for 3 and extended her season-long hitting streak to nine games.

Sophomore Morgan Pennycuff (14-2) earned her team-high 14th victory in the pitching circle. She allowed two hits and three runs over three innings. Wertz closed the game with two perfect innings with two strikeouts.