By STEVE CARPENTER Hutchinson CC Sports Information
DODGE CITY, Kan. – The Hutchinson Community College softball team's postseason run came up a game short of a Region VI championship game berth on Sunday at Legends Park.
For the second-straight game, the Blue Dragons were held in check offensively and the Barton Cougars took advantage with a 9-1 win over Hutchinson in five innings in the Region VI Tournament losers' bracket final.
Hutchinson's season comes to an end at 29-17 and a third-place finish in the region. The Blue Dragons finished second in the Jayhawk East behind Butler. That finish was one place higher than the preseason coaches' poll predicted Hutchinson would finish.
Barton advanced to the championship game where No. 3 Butler defeated the Cougars 10-0 later on Sunday.
The Cougars took early command of the losers' bracket final with a seven-run second inning. The Cougars had a 9-0 lead before the Blue Dragons had their first hit of the game.
That came from a Haley Miller bunt single in the fourth inning. Miller took second on a Barton throwing error and Lexi Williams scored Hutch's only run on the play.
Williams and Kylee Dunn had the other Dragon hits as Barton pitcher Kayla Beers limited the Dragons to only three hits with five strikeouts in five innings. Beers retired the first nine Blue Dragon hitters she faced before Williams led off the fourth with a walk.
Jordan Galliher (13-5) lasted just 1 1-3 innings in her third start of the regional tournament. She gave up five runs and three hits. Sadie Loney worked 2 1-3 innings and Samarah Bailey pitched 1 1-3 innings.
Blue Dragon head coach Jaime Rose closes her 16th season with the Blue Dragons with a 486-332 record.