By STEVE CARPENTER - Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Pitcher Jordan Galliher became just the second pitcher of the modern era to throw multiple no-hitters in a career as the Hutchinson Community College second-year pitcher no-hit the Northwest Tech Mavericks in the first game of a Jayhawk Conference doubleheader on Tuesday at Fun Valley.
Galliher's gem helped the Blue Dragons snap a six-game KJCCC losing streak as Hutchinson won the opener 8-0 in five innings. The Blue Dragons defeated Northwest Tech 11-6 in Game 2.
Hutchinson won its third and fourth games in a row to improve to 16-12 overall and returned to the .500 mark in the Jayhawk East at 6-6. Northwest Tech falls to 2-26 and 1-9.
Galliher's first career no-hitter came on February 9, 2009 when she orchestrated a perfect game against the Allen Red Devils in her collegiate pitching debut. Galliher joins Holly Kelly, who threw two no-hitters in 2016 – including a perfect game against Hesston College – as the only Blue Dragon pitchers in the modern era, which dates back to since the 2004 season, to have multiple career no-hitters.
Galliher's second masterpiece is the seventh no-hitter in the Jaime Rose era.
Galliher (7-2) struck out a career-high 11 batters against Northwest Tech on Tuesday, striking out the side in the fifth inning. She allowed only two walks, both coming after the fourth inning.
Galliher allowed just four baserunners over her five-inning no-no.
The game started when Hailey Allen reached on a two-base throwing error. Galliher worked out of that with a great diving catch in foul territory by third baseman Natalie Bevan and a pair of strikeouts. Galliher retired nine batters in a row until a leadoff walk to Sarah Hembree in the fourth.
A walk and fielder's choice with one out in the fifth had Galliher in her only tough spot of the game. The Blue Dragon pitcher got back-to-back strikeouts to close out the game and secure the no-hitter.
GAME 1 RECAP
The Blue Dragons gave Galliher immediate run support in her no-hit bid with a five-run first inning.
Madison Grimes, Carley Sterneker and Alexis Way all had RBI singles and Easton Head dropped a bloop two-run double in the big first inning. The Blue Dragons then added single runs in the second, third and fourth innings.
Hutchinson had 10 hits total in Game 1 led by Hailey Miller's two bunt singles. Head and Way also had two hits in the opener. Grimes, Head and Way had two RBIs each.
GAME 2 RECAP
The second game was much more of a grind for the Blue Dragons as Hutchinson finally created some breathing room with a five-run sixth inning.
Before that, freshman Sadie Loney had to come out of the Blue Dragon bullpen to battle a resurgent Maverick offense, which had six hits and three earned runs off starter Samarah Bailey. Loney entered the game with two out in the third of a 3-3 game with the go-ahead run at third base. Loney struck out Katherine Range to end the inning. She allowed a fourth-inning run and then retired seven-straight Mavericks to reach the seventh.
After three-straight doubles to start the seventh, Loney gave way to Galliher, who shut down the Tech threat with a lineout and back-to-back strikeouts.
Loney (2-0) worked 3 1-3 innings with three strikeouts to earn the victory in the pitching circle. She gave up five hits and three earned runs.
Offensively, the Blue Dragons out-hit Northwest Tech 13-11 in Game 2.
Miller had three more bunt singles and scored a pair of runs. Lexi Williams was 2 for 3 with two runs and a stolen base. Grimes went 2 for 3 with two runs scored, two RBIs and a steal of home in the third inning give the Blue Dragons a 5-3 lead.
Bevan also went 2 for 3 with three RBIs. She led off the bottom of the fifth with her fifth home run of the season for a 6-4 lead. Bevan also had a two-run double in Hutch's five-run sixth.
The Blue Dragons travel to Pratt on Thursday.