TOMLINSON, WILLIAMS COMBINE FOR DRAGON NO-HITTER

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

GOODLAND – Sophomore pitcher Morgan Tomlinson and freshman Mia Williams combined for the Hutchinson Community College softball team's first no-hitter in two seasons on Saturday during a Jayhawk Conference doubleheader sweep of Fort Hays Tech Northwest.

The combined no-hitter came in Game 1 as Hutchinson run-ruled Fort Hays Tech Northwest 21-0 in five innings. Then freshmen pitchers Aubree Thomas and Jessica Schmidt teamed up for a one-hit shutout in a 20-0 victory in five innings.

The Blue Dragons are now 8-4 overall and 4-0 to start the KJCCC season. The Dragons travel to play Butler on Wednesday. Fort Hays Tech Northwest fell to 0-6 overall and 0-2 in the KJCCC.

The no-hitter by Tomlinson and Williams was the first for the Blue Dragons since a combined no-hitter by Morgan Pennycuff, Kiersten Wietze, Korri Lies and Riley Wertz against Northwest Tech on April 19, 2023.

Tomlinson pitched the first three innings and allowed only one walk. Tomlinson, who used just 35 pitches, struck out a career-high eight batters. Her previous career high was six.

Williams struck out a season-high four batters and walked one in her two innings where she used 31 pitches.

This is the 12th no-hitter in the Jaime Rose era.

GAME 1 RECAP – Hutchinson 21, Fort Hays Tech Northwest 0 (5 innings)
Sophomore shortstop Bailey Backhaus tied a Blue Dragon single-game record scoring five runs in the first game. Backhaus was 4 for 5 and reached base all five times. She drove in three runs and stole three bases.

Backhaus tied eight others for the single-game runs scored record.

The Dragons had 18 hits and took advantage of 10 Tiger errors and six Tiger walks.

Sophomore Emily Dice had a career-high four hits, going 4 for 4 with a single-game-record-tying three doubles. Dice tied 12 other Blue Dragons for the single-game school record for doubles. The Dragon second baseman had a career-high four runs scored and drove in two with a two-run double in a seven-run second inning.

The Blue Dragons' seven combined doubles tied for fourth most in team single-game history. The two triples tied for third in single-game history.

Kaibryn Kruger went 3 for 4 with a single, double, triple with a season-high four RBIs. Kruger had an RBI double and RBI triple.

Gabby Stauffer tied season highs with season highs with three hits and four RBIs. Stauffer was 3 for 5 with a double, triple and three runs scored.

Brooke Backhaus was 2 for 3 with a double, two runs and an RBI.

Eight of 9 Blue Dragon starters had at least one it.

The Dragons plated one run in the first, seven in the second, five in the third and four each in the fourth and fifth innings.

GAME 2 RECAP – Hutchinson 20, Fort Hays Tech Northwest 0 (5 innings)
Three more single-game records were broken or tied in Game 2.

+ The Blue Dragons broke a single-game record for stolen bases, going 11 of 11.

+ Kaibryn Kruger went 4 of 4 stealing bases, which broke an individual single-game stolen base record.

+ Tailor Golly's seven RBIs tied nine others for the fourth-most RBIs in single-game history.

The Blue Dragons had a season-high 24 hits, which tied for the sixth most in single-game history. The Top six batters in the order were a combined 17 for 27 with 15 runs and 16 RBIs.

Golly led the Dragons going 4 for 4 with two doubles, a home run and seven RBIs. She had RBIs with each of her hits – an RBI single in the first, RBI double in the second, two-run double and a three-run home run in an 11-run third inning.

Bailey Backhaus was 4 for 5 with four runs, three stolen bases and two RBIs.

Kaibryn Kruger was 3 for 5 with three runs and four steals.

Stauffer again tied a season-high for hits, going 3 for 4 with two doubles and an RBI.

Brooke Backhaus was 3 for 5 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored.

Brie Brawner was 2 for 3 with two walks, two runs and a triple. She stole two baes.

Haley Kruger and Dice had two hits each. Kruger had two doubles with an RBI.

The Dragons combined for seven doubles, a triple and a home run.

Thomas (4-1) started and worked the first three innings for the pitching victory. She allowed just one hit and hit a batter with five strikeouts. Schmidt worked two perfect innings with four strikeouts.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons have scored 20 or more runs in three consecutive games … Bailey Backhaus moved into seventh place on the Blue Dragon career hits list. She is tied with Aimee Hubbard with 128. Her combined eight hits saw her jump from 17th tie a tie for seventh on the career hits list. … She is now No. 4 in career steals with 42 and is seventh in career runs scored with 98 runs.