GOLLY, DICE HOMER AS DRAGONS SPLIT WITH NCTC

First baseman Brooke Backhaus and the Blue Dragon softball team splits a doubleheader on Sunday with North Central Texas, losing 1-0 in the first game in eight innings and winning 9-3 in Game 2.

February 23, 2025

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

GAINESVILLE, Texas – Tailor Golly hit a two-run home run to center field and Emily Dice hit an inside-the-park home run to lead the No. 22-ranked Hutchinson Community College softball team to a doubleheader split with North Central Texas on Sunday at Darwin Fields.

After dropping a 1-0 decision in eight innings in the opening game, the Blue Dragons erupted for six runs in the first inning en route to a 9-3 victory in the second game.

The Blue Dragons are now 4-4 and will open Jayhawk Conference play at 1 and 3 p.m. on Wednesday against the Pratt Beavers at Fun Valley in Hutchinson's 2025 home opener.

GAME 2 RECAP – Hutchinson 9, NCTC 3
Golly led the Blue Dragons in the second game going 2 for 4 with a two-run triple, two-run home run and four RBIs. Her two-run triple came in Hutchinson's six-run first inning. Golly's two-run home run came in the sixth inning that gave the Dragons a 9-3 lead.

Dice was 2 for 3 with a career-high three RBIs. Dice hit a two-run single in the first inning and her inside-the-park home run came in the third inning that upped Hutchinson's lead to 7-3.

Bailey Backhaus was 2 for 4 with two runs with an RBI and a stolen base. The Dragons out-hit the Lions 11-9.

Golly's two-run triple started the Blue Dragons' 6-run first inning. She scored on a Gabby Stauffer RBI single. Then with the bases loaded and one out, Dice singled to left field to score Stauffer and Brie Brawner. Bailey Backhaus closed out the big inning with an RBI single that scored Aubree Thomas.

North Central Texas scored a single run in the first and two runs in the second to pull within 6-3. Dice's inside-the-park homer to left-center in the third inning gave the Dragons a 7-3 lead.

Thomas (2-1) worked the first six innings to earn her second victory of the season. She gave up three hits and three runs, but only one was earned. Thomas had two strikeouts and no walks. Thomas' final four innings were scoreless.

Jessica Schmidt worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning with two strikeouts.

GAME 1 RECAP – NCTC 1, Hutchinson 0 (8 innings)
Playing extra inning for a second-straight day, the Dragons were walked off by North Central Texas with a single run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Starting pitcher Morgan Tomlinson (2-2) pitched seven inning and allowed five hits and one earned run. Tomlinson struck out five and she hit two batters.

Hutchinson had four total hits with singles from Bailey Backhaus, Brooke Backhaus and Dice and a double from Golly.

The Dragons got only one runner to third base against NCTC pitcher Abriana Coy. Bailey Backhaus singled to lead off the sixth inning, stole second and moved to third on a line-out to right by Kaibryn Kruger. The Dragons weren't able to drive in that run.