<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/5/1778246262225.jpeg" alt="Emery Benson-Hladik and the top-seed Blue Dragon softball team open Region 6 Tournament play at Noon Friday vs. Pratt in an opening-round matchup at Legends Park. (Andrew Carpenter/Digital Fox Photography)" />
 <figcaption>Emery Benson-Hladik and the top-seed Blue Dragon softball team open Region 6 Tournament play at Noon Friday vs. Pratt in an opening-round matchup at Legends Park. (Andrew Carpenter/Digital Fox Photography)</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Hutchinson CC Sports Information
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
 The Hutchinson Community College softball team begins its quest for a third regional championship on Friday at the 2026 Region 6 Tournament at Legends Park in Dodge City. The Jayhawk Conference champion Blue Dragons (40-12) are the tournament's top seed. They will play eighth-seeded Pratt (8-42) in an opening-round matchup at Noon on Field 4. Regardless of the outcome against Pratt, the Blue Dragons will play either Colby or Barton at 4 p.m. either in a winner's bracket semifinal game or a first-round elimination game. The Blue Dragons bid for their third overall Region 6 Tournament championship. Hutchinson won regional softball titles in 1987 and 2024. The Dragons made their first-ever appearance in the NJCAA Softball World Series after the 2024 Region 6 championship. BLUE DRAGON SOFTBALL Hutchinson (40-12) vs. Pratt (8-42) Region 6 Tournament Opening Round Time: Noon Site: Legends Park, Dodge City Video:&nbsp;<a href="https://kjccc.org/watch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KJCCC Network (PPV), 11:55 a.m.</a> Next Game: TBD, 4 p.m. Friday X: @bluedragonsport Hutchinson went 4-0 against Pratt this season, but had to battle to defeat the Beavers 8-6 in 10 innings on April 29 at Pratt in the final conference doubleheader of the season. The Blue Dragons trailed 3-0 after one inning, but battled back to tie the game in the sixth on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/dreher_riley_mt89">Riley Dreher</a>&nbsp;single. Tied at 6-6 in the 10th,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/topping_hadley_8nip">Hadley Topping</a>&nbsp;ripped an RBI double and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/benson-hladik_emery_vzv4">Emery Benson-Hladik</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/lutz_addison_pivq">Addi Lutz</a>&nbsp;drove in runs to win the game 8-6.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/schmidt_jessica_plsu">Jessica Schmidt</a>&nbsp;pitched a career-long seven inning and struck out a career-high 11 batters to earn the win. The Dragons run-ruled the Beavers in the other three games, winning 9-1 and 12-1 on March 28 at Fun Valley and 10-1 in the series finale on April 29. The 2026 Blue Dragons are hitting .349 this season and are averaging 7.23 runs per game. Dreher, the Dragons' freshman shortstop, was the KJCCC's third-leading hitter at .486. She had a Blue Dragon single-season record 28 doubles with seven triples, three homers and 62 RBIs. Topping is hitting .372,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/stauffer_gabby_odh3">Gabby Stauffer</a>&nbsp;is hitting .366 while Lutz and Benson-Hladik are both hitting .360. Hitting .311, sophomore center fielder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/kruger_kaibryn_43ko">Kaibryn Kruger</a>&nbsp;has a team-high 10 home runs. The Blue Dragons have the No. 1 pitching staff in the KJCCC this season with a 2.70 team ERA and a .249 team batting average against. The Dragons allow 3.09 runs per game. Schmidt is 7-2 with a 1.91 ERA and a nation-leading eight saves. She has 59 strikeouts in 62 1-3 innings pitched. Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/thomas_aubree_9ok0">Aubree Thomas</a>&nbsp;is 12-2 this season. In a team-high 87 innings pitched, Thomas has struck out 53.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/ediger_hailey_evec">Hailey Ediger</a>&nbsp;is 7-4 with a 2.29 ERA,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/williams_mia_3e4t">Mia Williams</a>&nbsp;is 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bluedragonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/rogers_alyssa_v57x">Alyssa Rogers</a>&nbsp;is 7-3 with a 3.86 ERA. Now in her 22nd season, head coach Jaime Rose has a record of 695-385 at Hutchinson.&nbsp; REGION 6 DIVISION I SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT May 8-11 at Legends Park, Dodge City, KS Opening Round &ndash; Friday, May 8 Noon (Field 4): No. 1 Hutchinson (40-12) vs. No. 8 Pratt (8-42) Noon (Field 2): No. 4 Colby (27-27) vs. No. 5 Barton (28-24) 2 p.m. (Field 4): No. 2 Butler (32-14) vs. No. 7 Seward County (19-31) 2 p.m. (Field 2): No. 3 Dodge City (42-16) vs. No. 6 Garden City (28-26) Second Round/Loser's Bracket First Round &ndash; Friday May 8 4 p.m. (Field 4): Hutchinson/ Pratt winner vs. Colby/Barton winner 4 p.m. (Field 2): Hutchinson/ Pratt loser vs. Colby/Barton loser 6 p.m. (Field 4): Butler Seward County winner vs. Dodge City/Garden City winner 6 p.m. (Field 2): Butler Seward County loser vs. Dodge City/Garden City loser</div>

🥎 Blue Dragons open Region 6 Tournament against Pratt