DRAGONS ADVANCE TO REGION VI WINNER’S BRACKET FINAL

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

DODGE CITY – The Hutchinson Community College Softball team advanced to the Region VI Tournament winner's bracket final for the first time since 2017 after defeating Barton 6-4 in a second-round match-up on Saturday at Legends Park.

The No. 14 Blue Dragons (43-6) advanced to play No. 15 Butler in the winner's bracket final later on Saturday afternoon. That winner of that game advances to Sunday's Noon championship as the undefeated team in the eight-team double-elimination tournament.

With the victory, the Blue Dragons extended their winning streak to a season-high 14 games. The Dragons also set a new program record for wins in a season, surpassing the 1987 Blue Dragons.

Sophomore Morgan Pennycuff improved to 16-2 in the pitching circle with five tough innings. Leading 3-0, Pennycuff made her only mistake of the game when she allowed a three-run home run in the fourth inning to tie the game.

Pennycuff allowed four hits and three earned runs with one walk and four strikeouts. Pennycuff's 16 wins in 2023 ties her for ninth on the Dragon single-season pitching wins list with Christa Dougherty (1988) and Gloria Jobe (2006).

Riley Wertz earned her seventh save of the season, her first save since April 5. Saturday was her first save opportunity since April 5. She had a stream of 18 2-3 innings of scoreless relief snapped in the sixth inning when Barton scored a single run to pull within 6-4. The Jayhawk Conference's all-time saves leader earned her 16th career save, striking out two.

The Blue Dragons had only six hits against three Barton pitchers.

The Dragons scores an unearned run in the first when Aspen Goetz hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Ella Dougherty.

Hutchinson made it 3-0 in the third when a Madison Grimes groundout drove in Korri Lies and Goetz roped a double to right-center to score Dougherty.

After Barton tied the game in the top of the fourth, the Blue Dragons immediately answered back. A Dougherty double scored Allie Stipsits with a go-ahead run. Olivia Sandoval then hit a two-run single to center for a 6-3 lead.

Dougherty led the offense, going 2 for 2 with three runs scored, a double and an RBI. Stipsits was 1 of 3 with a double. Goetz was 1 for 2 with a double and she drove in her 95th and 96th RBIs of the season.

The Blue Dragons will bid to play in their first Region VI Tournament championship game since 2017 when they were at the Division II level. The Dragons haven't played in a Division I Region VI Tournament championship game since 1992.