Hutchinson CC Sports Information
NEOSHO, Missouri – Sophomore Morgan Tomlinson pitched her second-straight complete game victory to lead the No. 22-ranked Hutchinson Community College softball team to a Game 1 victory over Crowder College on Saturday afternoon at the Crowder Softball Field.
The Roughriders then pounded out 13 hits in Game 2 to earn a split with the Blue Dragons.
Tomlinson’s complete game led to a 4-3 Blue Dragon victory in the first game. Crowder won Game 2 10-2 in six innings.
The Blue Dragons are now 3-1 and are scheduled to open at home on Friday against the Labette Cardinals. Crowder, which is receiving votes in the preseason NJCAA Rankings, is now 4-2.
GAME 1 RECAP – Hutchinson 4, Crowder 3
Tomlinson (2-0) needed 102 pitches to defeat the Roughriders. She allowed six hits and three earned runs with three strikeouts and one walk allowed. Tomlinson hit three Crowders batters.
The Blue Dragon sophomore pitched with runners on base throughout the game. She gave up single runs in the third, fifth and seventh innings. Crowder also stole seven bases to put the pressure on the Blue Dragons.
Tomlinson was able to make the big pitches and limit scoring chances. Crowder was 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position.
Offensively, the Blue Dragons had nine total hits.
Bailey Backhaus was 2 for 4 with wo runs scored. Kaibryn Kruger was 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Tailor Golly was 1 for 4 with a double. Gabby Stauffer was 1 for 4 with two RBIs.
Brie Brawner tied a Blue Dragon single-game record with three walks.
The Dragons scored single runs in each of the first two innings. Kaibryn Kruger had the RBIs in both innings on a sacrifice fly in the first and a groundout in the second.
The Blue Dragons took a 4-1 lead when Stauffer’s two-out single scored Haley Kruger and Bailey Backhaus.
GAME 2 RECAP – Crowder 10, Hutchinson 2 (6 innings)
The Blue Dragons weren’t able to stay away from giving up the big inning in the second game as Crowder had three separate three-run innings to pull away.
After the Blue Dragons took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Jasmine Myers’ two-run home run capped a three-run first to lead 3-1. The Dragons closed within 3-2 when Golly doubled home Bailey Backhaus in the top of third. The Roughriders got that run back in the bottom of the inning and then scored three runs in each of the fourth and sixth innings.
The Dragons had a season-low six hits. Bailey Backhaus went 2 for 4 with a run and two stolen bases. Golly was 2 for 3 with a double. Brooke Backhaus and Haley Kruger also had base hits.
Aubree Thomas (1-1) went 3 1-3 innings and allowed seven hits and six runs with one strikeout. Mia Williams and Jessica Smith each worked an inning. The Dragons gave up a season-high 13 hits.