DRAGONS DOWN COLBY TO ADVANCE TO FINALS

Alexis Mastin and first-base coach Ray Aguirre react after her home run in the first inning of Hutchinson's 6-4 win over Colby in the Region VI Tournament losers' bracket final on Sunday in Dodge City. (Andrew Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

May 7, 2023

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

DODGE CITY – Aspen Goetz and Alexis Mastin had back-to-back home runs to set an early tone and Morgan Pennycuff earned her second pitching victory of the regional tournament and the Hutchinson Community College softball team advanced to its first Region VI Tournament championship game since 2018 on Sunday.

The No. 14-ranked Blue Dragons scored six runs in each of the first two innings and held on to defeat the Colby Trojans 6-4 in the Region VI Tournament losers' bracket final on Sunday morning at Legends Park.

Now 44-7, the Blue Dragons advance to play No. 15 Butler in the Region VI Championship game. The appearance is the first in a regional final for the Blue Dragons in five seasons and first in a Division I regional final since 1992.

Down 2-0 after Colby's two-run first inning, Goetz hit her 20th home run this season and 27th career home run with a two-run laser beam that bounced on top of the left-center field fence for a two-run homer to tie the game at 2-2. Mastin followed on the next pitch with an opposite-field home run to right for a 3-2 lead off Colby ace Abby Sims.

The Blue Dragons made it 6-2 after two innings. Olivia Sandoval hit a two-run single up the middle to score Korri Lies and Ella Dougherty. Sandoval then scored on a sacrifice fly by Allie Stipsits.

Pennycuff (17-2) grinded through four-plus innings. She allowed seven hits and four earned runs with five strikeouts and one walk.

After allowing back-to-back singles to open the fifth, Pennycuff was lifted for closer Riley Wertz. After giving up a two-run double to pull Colby within 6-4, the momentum of the game turned when Sandoval caught a line drive ripped down the third-base line and almost instantly turned an unassisted double play.

Wertz got a strikeout to end the inning and she earned her eighth save of the season and KJCCC career record 17th by retiring the final eight batters she faced. Wertz had four strikeouts in three innings of work.

Mastin and Dougherty had the only multi-hit games for the Blue Dragons, who had eight hits.

Mastin went 2 for 3 with a homer, her 10th of the season, and one RBI. Dougherty was 2 for 3 with a double, run scored and stolen base.

Sandoval and Goetz had two RBIs each.

The Blue Dragons extended their season record for wins to 44. Hutchinson broke the program record on Saturday with a victory over Barton.