GOLLY LAUNCHES 4 OF DRAGONS’ 7 HOME RUNS IN SWEEP OF COLBY

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

COLBY – Freshman catcher Tailor Golly had back-to-back two-home run games to lead a day were the Hutchinson Community College softball team's seven home-run day in a KJCCC doubleheader sweep of the Colby Trojans on Sunday at Adams Field.

The Blue Dragons opened the day with a 10-run first inning, which included three home runs, in a 20-4 Game 1 victory of the Trojans. The Dragons finished off the sweep with a 9-1 six-inning run-rule victory.

Hutchinson improved to 15-5 overall and 9-1 in the KJCCC. The Blue Dragons will now play host to Garden City at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at Fun Valley. The Blue Dragons and Broncbusters switched home dates. The games in Garden City will be April 17.

For the doubleheader, Golly – the Blue Dragons' freshman catcher – was a combined 5 for 7 with four home runs, five RBIs and five runs scored.

Joining Golly in the Dragons' home run binge was sophomore Brie Brawner, whose first career home run was a grand slam in Hutchinson's Game 1 10-run inning. Emily Dice and Aubree Thomas also homered on Sunday.

GAME 1 RECAP – Hutchinson 20, Colby 4 (5 innings)
The Blue Dragons tied a season high with 22 hits.

Bailey Backhaus tied her own single-game record for hits, going 5 for 5 with three runs scored, three RBIs and two stolen bases.

Gabby Stauffer went 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Dice went 3 for 4. Kaibryn Kruger, Golly, Brooke Backhaus, Brawner and Addi Lutz all had two hits each.

Brawner had a career-high five RBIs with her first career home run. She also scored three runs. Brie Brawner and Golly had three RBIs each. Stauffer, Brooke Backhaus and Dice had two RBIs each.

Morgan Tomlinson earned her seventh win of the season with her third complete game of the season. Tomlinson tied a career high with eight strikeouts. She allowed six hits and four runs with one walk.

The Blue Dragons' 10-run inning started with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to Stauffer and an RBI single by Brooke Backhaus. Brawner then followed with her grand slam to center field to build a 6-0 lead. The Dragons weren't done yet. With two out and bases empty, Dice homered for a 7-0 lead. Kruger laces an RBI single and Golly launched a two-run home run to complete a 10-run first inning.

The Blue Dragons also had a seven-run third inning. Golly led off the inning with her second home run of the game. Haley Kruger was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Dice and Bailey Backhaus and Stauffer all had RBI singles for a 19-1 Blue Dragon lead.

GAME 2 RECAP – Hutchinson 9, Colby 1 (6 innings)
In addition to Golly's two home runs and two RBIs, Aubree Thomas was 2 for 3 at the plate and tossed a complete game in the pitching circle.

Thomas improved to 6-2 with a six-inning complete game in the circle. She struck out a season high eight batters while allowing only three hits and one unearned run. Thomas surrendered no walks.

Thomas' home run came in the top of the fifth inning, a one-out solo home run to left field to give the Dragons an 8-1 lead.

Bailey Backhaus completed an eight-hit day, going 3 for 5 in Game 2 with two RBIs and two runs scored. She also had a stolen base.

Thomas and Dice each had two hits. Bailey Backhaus, Kaibryn Kruger and Golly had two RBIs each.

The Blue Dragons scored in each of their six at-bats in Game 2, including a four-run second inning. Bailey Backhaus had an RBI single. Kaibryn Kruger singled in one run and Thomas scores on an error on the same play. Stauffer had a bases-loaded walk.