By STEVE CARPENTER - Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College softball team is the No. 4 overall seed for the 2021 Region VI Division I Softball Tournament, which begins Friday at Legends Park in Dodge City.
The Blue Dragons (27-15) will play fifth-seeded Seward County (17-15) at 3 p.m. on Friday in the opening round of the eight=team double-elimination tournament. The winner will advance to the district playoff later this month.
The Hutchinson/Seward County winner and loser will play the Colby/Barton pairing either at 11 a.m. on Saturday in a winner's bracket matchup or at 9 a.m. on Saturday in a first-round elimination game.
The Blue Dragons run-ruled Seward County twice in the only regular-season doubleheader of 2021 on April 15 at Fun Valley. Hutchinson won 12-4 and 10-1. The Blue Dragons combined for 22 runs on 28 hits against the Saints with three home runs.
The Dragons enter the postseason with a modest two-game hitting streak, but are 7-3 in their last 10 games. The Saints have lost two in a row and are 5-5 in the last 10.
Hutchinson is hitting .382 for the season and is averaging 8.2 runs per game.
Freshman shortstop Madison Grimes is leading the Jayhawk Conference and is second in the NJCAA in hitting at .588. Grimes' 80 total hits are second in Blue Dragon single-season history. She already owns Hutch's single-season RBI record with 75. Grimes is also 35 of 36 in stolen bases and has a team-high 11 home runs.
Third baseman Natalie Bevan is hitting .438 with 19 times, eight homers and 56 RBIs from the clean-up spot.
The top two hitters in the order – catcher Lexi Williams and utility player Haley Miller – have been setting the table all season. Williams, Hutchinson's single-season and career stolen base leader with 51 and 80, respectively, is hitting .395 with an on-base percentage of .619. She has scored 69 runs. Miller his hitting .397 with 22 bunt singles. Miller has an on-base percentage of .417 and she has stolen 27 bases this season.
First baseman Carley Sterneker is hitting .373 and is on a 17-game hitting streak, the third longest streak in team history.
Eight of the nine Blue Dragon starters hit .333 or better.
Hutchinson's staff earned-run average for the season is 5.98. Jordan Galliher (12-4) will likely get the opening-game start. She has an ERA of 5.07 with 95 strikeouts in 98 innings pitched.
Sadie Loney is 4-2 this season with a team0low 3.56 ERA. Samarah Bailey is 9-5 with a 6.52 ERA.