DARNELL, PITCHERS POWER DRAGONS TO SWEEP OF LABETTE

Jaeleigh Darnell hit three home runs and drove in six as the Blue Dragon softball team defeated Labette 4-2 and 6-0 on Tuedsay in Parsons. (Photo by Michelle Darnell)

March 12, 2024

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

PARSONS – Sophomore Jaeleigh Darnell combined for three home runs and six RBIs while pitchers Delaney Blakesley, Morgan Tomlinson and Dakota Lake teamed up to control the Labette offense as the Hutchinson Community College softball team completed a doubleheader sweep of the Cardinals on Tuesday at the LCC Softball Field.

Olivia Sandoval had the go-ahead RBI and Darnell homered while Blakesley and Lake limited Labette to three hits in a 4-2 victory in Game 1 on Tuesday. Darnell hit two home runs and drove in five runs as Tomlinson and Lake combined for a three-hit shutout in a 6-0 victory.

The Blue Dragons improved to 18-6 overall. The Dragons, now in a three-way tie for first place in the Jayhawk Conference at 7-1, play the two teams they are tied with – Seward County on Saturday in Liberal and Butler on Monday in El Dorado.

GAME 1 RECAP – Hutchinson 4, Labette 2
Hutchinson led 2-0 in the second inning, but Labette scored single runs in the second and third to tie the game at 2-all. The Dragons immediately grabbed the lead right back in the top of the fourth. With runners on first and third with one out, Sandoval grounded out to second, which allowed Brie Brawner to score the go-ahead run for a 3-2 lead.

Darnell then homered to center to lead off the fourth inning as Hutchinson built a 4-2 lead.

From that point, Lake went into pitcher her fourth save of the season. She pitched the final three innings with one walk and four strikeouts with no runs or hits allowed.

Brawner led the Blue Dragons going 2 or 3 with two runs scored. Sandoval drove in two runs with a double and groundout. Darnell hit her fifth home run of the season.

The Blue Dragons had seven total hits in the opening game.

Blakesley (5-0) worked the first four innings to earn the pitching victory. She allowed three hits and two runs, only one earned, with two strikeouts and two walks.

GAME 2 RECAP – Hutchinson 6, Labette 0
Both Darnell and Sandoval each went 4 for 4 to led the Blue Dragons' nine-hit attack. Sandoval set the battle for Darnell's huge game.

Sandoval gave the Dragons a 1-0 lead when her third-inning RBI single scored Bailey Backhaus. After Sandoval led off the fifth with a single, Darnell homered to left-center field for a 3-0 lead. Then in the sixth, Sandoval tripled to lead off the inning and Annie Kealey was walked ahead of Darnell's second homer of the game, a three-run shot to left center for a 6-0 lead.

With her sixth and seventh home runs of the season, Darnell was 4 for 4 with a single-game high five RBIs. Darnell also doubled in the second inning.

Sandoval had a triple in her 4 for 4 performance. She scored two runs.

Tomlinson and Lake then combined for a three-hit shutout. Tomlinson allowed two hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Lake earned her second save of the day and fifth of the season with 3 1-3 innings of scoreless relief. Lake struck out six and walked one with one hit allowed.

Lake entered the game in the bottom of the fourth after Labette had two runners on. Lake pitched out of the jam with a pop up in foul territory caught by catcher Alexis Mastin.