DRAGONS RESPOND TO EARN SPLIT WITH NO. 17 BUTLER

Blue Dragon teammates celebrate Kaibryn Kruger's second home run of Game 2 against Butler on Monday in El Dorado. The Dragons won the game 9-7 to split the doubleheader. (Photo courtesy Ed Bailey)

April 7, 2025

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

EL DORADO – After dropping Game 1 in extra innings to No. 17 Butler on Monday, the Hutchinson Community College softball team answered the challenge and maintained its hold on first place in the Jayhawk Conference.

Freshman Kaibryn Kruger hit two home runs in Game 2 as the Blue Dragons defeated the Grizzlies 9-7 to earn the doubleheader and season-series split. Butler rallied to force extra innings and then walk off for an 8-6 win in the opening game.

The Blue Dragons are now 28-6 overall and are 20-2 in first place in the KJCCC. Butler is now 24-6 overall and 13-5 in the Jayhawk. The Blue Dragons are off until Sunday when they travel to play Seward County in Liberal.

GAME 2 RECAP – Hutchinson 9, Butler 7
Kaibryn Kruger went 3 for 4 with two home runs and four RBIs to lead the Blue Dragons in Game 2. She hit solo home runs in the second and fifth innings and she had a key two-run single in a three-run third inning that gave the Blue Dragons an 8-3 lead.

The Blue Dragons struck first with a four-run first inning. Gabby Stauffer's 20th double of the season was an RBI hit down the left-field line that scored Bailey Backhaus. The Dragons took a 2-0 lead on a bases-loaded walk to Addi Lutz, then Haley Kruger laced a two-run single up the middle to score Brooke Backhaus and Brie Brawner for a 4-0 lead. Butler answered with three runs in the bottom of the first to cut the Dragon lead to 4-3.

Kruger homered to lead off the second, and then after a Bailey Backhaus RBI single in the third, Kruger hit a two-run single to give the Dragons an 8-3 lead. Butler cut the Dragon lead to 8-7 after a three-run fourth. Kruger then hit a one-out solo home run in the fifth to give the Dragons a 9-7 lead.

With the Dragons leading 9-7 in the bottom of the seventh with a runner at first and two out, Butler shortstop Kory Schoenfeld singled to left, but was called out for stepping out of the batter's box for the final out of the game.

Bailey Backhaus went 2 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. She also moved past Olivia Sandoval for second place on the Blue Dragon career hits list with 175 hits.

Haley Kruger was 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Emily Dice was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Morgan Tomlinson, who took the Game 1 loss, pitched 3 1-3 innings in relief to earn the win. Tomlinson (14-3) allowed four hits and no runs with one strikeout. Jessica Schmidt earned her second save of the season.

GAME 1 RECAP – Butler 8, Hutchinson 6 (8 innings)
Hutchinson led 5-3 entering the seventh inning when the Grizzlies scored two runs to tie the game and force extra innings.

Haley Kruger singled home Brawner with the go-ahead run in the eighth, but Gracie Hock hit a two-run walk-off home run to right-center to snap the Blue Dragons' 18-game winning streak.

Haley Kruger went 3 for 4 with a double and three RBIs to lead the Blue Dragons' 10-hit attack. Kaibryn Kruger was 2 for 3 and Brawner was 2 for 4.

The Blue Dragons took a 3-0 lead in the second when Haley Kruger singled home Gabby Stauffer and Brooke Backhaus and Emily Dice's infield single plated Browner for a 3-0 lead.

With the game tied at 3-all in the fourth, Dice gave the lead back to the Dragons scoring on a wild pitch and Bailey Backhaus scored on a Tailor Golly sacrifice fly to center.

Tomlinson started and re-entered the game in relief. She worked 4 2-3 innings, allowing seven hits and six runs with two strikeouts and two walks. Jessica Schmidt went 3.0 innings with five hits and two runs allowed.