HutchCC Sports Information
Game 1 featured a combined no-hitter between Kierstan Weitze and Korri Lies. Game 2 saw Madison Grimes become the Hutchinson Community College softball team’s all-time hits leader.
The No. 20-ranked Blue Dragons returned to the field from a seven-day hiatus with a pair of run-rule victories over the Sterling College junior varsity, 12-0 and 12-4, on Tuesday at Fun Valley.
The Blue Dragons (13-3) open Jayhawk Conference play on Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Fun Valley against the Colby Trojans. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for Colby, but field conditions at Carl Adams Park made the move to Fun Valley necessary. The teams will play in Colby on April 1.
After allowing baserunners on a throwing error and walk, Weitze was helped out by both runners being caught while trying to steal bases in the opening inning. From that point, the sophomore right-hander retired the final seven batters she faced.
Lies then entered the game in the fourth inning with Hutchinson leading 12-0. The freshman retired all six batters she faced, two by strikeout.
The combined effort is the first no hitters since Jordan Galliher threw her second-career no-no against Northwest Tech on April 5, 2021 and the ninth no-hitter in modern Blue Dragon Softball history.
Needing four hits to break the all-time hits record, Grimes had two hits and four RBIs in the first game. Grimes then led off Game 2 reaching on an error in the first inning. She tied the record of Jessica Glenn with an infield single off the Sterling pitcher’s leg in the third.
Grimes then led off the fourth inning and collected her record-breaking 163rd career hit with a home run to left field. Grimes had career hit 164 in her next at-bat, doubling to the center-field wall to combined a 5 for 6 day with five RBIs.
GAME 1 RECAP
The combined no-hitter of Weitze and Lies overshadowed an 11-run third inning.
That inning was the second of the season or 10 or more runs. The Dragons also had an 11-run inning in the second game against the Ottawa JV on January 25 in Ottawa. The 11-runs in the third also tie for the fourth-largest single inning in Blue Dragon single-game history.
Grimes started the inning with a two-run single that scored Preslee Irwin and Ella Dougherty. Aspen Goetz and Alexis Mastin then hit back-to-back home runs – Goetz was a three-run shot to left – to give the Dragons a 6-0 lead to that point. The Dragons added an RBI single from Jaeleigh Darnell, a two-run Dougherty double, an RBI-double from Olivia Sandoval, Grimes had another RBI single and Goetz capped off the inning with an RBI double.
The Blue Dragons sent 15 batters to the plate in the third and scored 11 runs on 11 hits.
Hutchinson had 15 total hits in Game 1 with dougherty, Sandoval, Grimes, Goetz and Irwin each collecting two hits each. The Dragons had seven extra-base hits, getting a pair of doubles from Sandoval. Goetz hit her third home run of the season and Mastin had her fourth of the year.
Grimes drove in four runs, Goetz had three RBIs and Dougherty had two RBIs.
Weitze (3-1) used just 34 pitches in her three innings of work. She struck out two and walked one. Lies used 22 pitches and struck out two in her two innings of work.
GAME 2 RECAP
Leading 7-1 after three innings, Sterling’s bats produced their biggest single inning of the day with a three-run fourth to pull within 7-4.
Grimes homered to lead off the fourth and spark a four-run inning. Delany Blakesley followed with an RBI single. An RBI groundout by Tamara Lozoya scored Riley Wertz and Blakesley scored on a wild pitch to give the Dragons an 11-4 lead.
The game ended with one out in the fifth inning when Grimes doubled, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a Goetz sacrifice fly.
Grimes led the 13-hit Dragon attack going 3 for 4 with a double, four runs scored and an RBI.
Sandoval, Mastin, Wertz and Blakesley had two hits each. Wertz launched a three-run home run in the third inning that gave the Dragons a 5-1 lead at that point and was part of a five-run third inning.
Goetz added two more RBIs.
Blakesley (1-0) earned her first pitching victory with three innings worked. She allowed three hits and one earned run with one strikeout. Lies pitched the final two innings and allowed four hits and three runs, only one was earned. She struck out one and walked one.