Graphic courtesy of Blue Dragon Sports Information
By John Mesh
The Hutchinson Community College softball team claimed two blowout victories over Fort Hays Tech Northwest Wednesday afternoon at Fun Valley in Hutchinson.
Hutchinson won the first game 23-0 (5 innings run-rule) and the second game 23-0 (5 innings run-rule).
The Blue Dragons improved to 25-5 overall and 19-1 in Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference play (good for first place). Hutchinson now has posted 16 straight victories and has a 15-1 home record.
The Blue Dragons have scored 306 runs in 30 games.
The Tigers dropped to 0-26 overall and 0-16 in the Jayhawk Conference.
In the first game, Blue Dragon pitchers Morgan Tomlinson and Mia Williams combined on a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts.
Thomlinson started on the mound and struck out seven batters in three innings to improve her season record to 12-2. Williams pitched two innings and struck out three.
The Blue Dragons scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Gabby Stauffer hit a solo homer, Tailor Golly belted a two-run homer and Kaibryn Kruger added an RBI triple.
The Blue Dragons scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning for a 10-0 lead. Brooke Backhaus smacked a two-run double. Annie Kealey, Brie Brawner and Golly had RBI singles.
HutchCC led 15-0 after three innings. In the bottom of the third, Kaibryn Kruger scored on a throwing error, Golly scored on a dropped third strike, Haley Kruger had an RBI single and Emily Dice stroked a two-run triple.
Williams replaced Tomlinson on the mound and got a strikeout to end the top of the fourth inning.
Hutchinson scored eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Brooke Backhaus had an RBI double, Bailey Backhaus, the Jayhawk Conference Player of the Week for last week, hit a two-run triple and Golly belted a three-run homer.
In the top of the fifth, Brawner caught a lineup and Williams struck out the final two batters for the 23-0 run-rule shutout victory.
The Blue Dragons pounded out 24 hits in five innings against the Tigers. Golly had four hits, including two homers, and drove in six runs.
Bailey Backhaus, Kaibryn Kruger, Brawner and Dice each had three hits. Stauffer had two hits, including the homer. Brooke Backhaus, Kealey and Haley Kruger each had two hits.
Brooke Backhaus and Dice each dove in three runs. Golly scored five runs and Kaibryn Kruger four.
In the second game, Aubree Thomas, the Pitcher of the Week last week in the Jayhawk Conference (the third time this season she’s won the honor), got the start on the mound for the Blue Dragons. She was replaced by Williams in the top of the fourth inning.
Thomas and Williams combined on a three-hit shutout. Thomas improved her record to 10-2. In three innings, she allowed one hit and struck out five. In two innings, Williams allowed two hits, walked none and struck out two.
The Blue Dragons posted a seven-run bottom of the first inning in Game 2.
Bailey Backhaus (who was named Jayhawk Conference Player of the Week for the second time) scored on a wild pitch. Stauffer, Brooke Backhaus, Brawner and Kaibryn Kruger had RBI singles. Kealey had a two-RBI single.
The Blue Dragons scored 14 runs in the bottom of the second inning. Dice had a bases-loaded RBI single, Bailey Backhaus had a three-run triple, Kaibryn Kruger had an RBI groundout and Stauffer added an RBI.
Kealey added another RBI single, Brawner scored on a wild pitch, Dice singled and scored on another wild pitch and Addi Lutz reached on an error with two runs scoring.
Hutchinson scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning for a 23-0 lead. The key hit in the inning was an RBI single by Lutz.
Kaibrun Kruger scored four runs. Four players scored three runs — Bailey Backhaus, Stauffer, Brawner and Kealey. Lutz, Brooke Backhäuser and Dice each scored two runs.
Hutchinson had 18 hits in the second game. Kealey had four hits and Brawner three. Bailey Backhaus, Lutz, Brooke Backhaus and Dice each had two hits.
Bailey Backhaus and Kealey each drove in three runs. Kaibryn Kruger. Stauffer, Brooke Backhaus and Dice each drive in two runs.
Hutchinson plays a 1 p.m. doubleheader against KJCCC rival Butler Community College Thursday at East Park in El Dorado.
The Blue Dragons host a 1 p.m. Sophomore Day doubleheader Sunday atFun Valley against the Friends University junior varsity squad.
Hutchinson plays a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Labette County Community College Tuesday at LCC Field in Parsons and a 1 p.m. doubleheader agains Seward County April 13 at Liberal.
The Tigers host Seward County Friday, and then play three straight road doubleheaders (Western Nebraska on Monday, Colby on Wednesday and Garden City on April 12).
Salthawk girls soccer team powers past Emporia 3-0 in Wichita South Titan Classic
The Hutchinson High School girls soccer team powered past the Emporia Spartans 3-0 Wednesday at the Wichita South Titan Classic.
All three of Hutchinson’s goals were cored in the first half. The match was played on Wichita South’s East Grass Field.
Hutchinson finishes up its Titan Classic schedule with an 11 a.m. match Saturday against Wichita East.
Hutchinson, which defeated Classical School of Wichita 3-0 on Monday, improved its record to 3-1.
The Salthawks also defeated Buhler 3-2 on March 27. Hutchinson lost its season opener 1-0 to Andover Central on March 25.
Former Blue Dragon standout Kiki Smith enters transfer portal
Former Hutchinson Blue Dragon women’s basketball standout Kiki Smith is one of five University of Arkansas players who have entered the transfer portal.
According to the wholehogsports.com’s Arkansas women’s basketball transfer portal tracker, Smith entered the transfer portal on Tuesday and has not made a new school commitment.
Smith was the top three-point shooter for the Razorbacks as a sophomore last season (minimum 3 attempts), shooting at a 58-of-143 (40.6%) clip.
The Topeka High School alumnus was the Razorbacks’ second-leading scorer averaging 10.2 points in 2024-25. She scored at least 20 points in three games.
Prior to coming to Arkansas, she played at Hutchinson Community College. Smith was the NJCAA Division I Player of the Year in 2023-24 when she averaged 17.6 points and shot 44.4% from three-point range.
The other Arkansas players in the transfer portal are guard Karley Johnson, guard Phoenix Stotijn, post Vera Ojenuwa and forward Cristina Sanchez Cerqueira.
Ojenuwa, a 6-foot-4 post, played two seasons at Barton Community College, signed with the University of Georgia Tuesday. Johnson, Stotijn and Sanchez Cerqueira have not signed with another program yet.
HutchCC’s Trenton Roehler named KJCCC West Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Hutchinson Blue Dragon sophomore right-handed starting pitcher Trenton Roehler tossed a career-high 11 strikeouts in an 11-1 victory over Allen County last Thursday at Hobart-Detter Field.
Roehler was named KJCCC West Baseball Pitcher of the Week for last week.
Roehler allowed just two hits and one earned run over his five innings for his second win of the season and 10th of his career.
Hutchinson’s Quinn Maher also was considered for Jayhawk West Player of the Week.
Kansas 6-Man All-Star Football Games set for June 7 in Greensburg
The Second Annual 6-Man High School Football All-Star Games will take place at Kiowa County High School in Greensburg on June 7, the Kansas 6-Man Coaches Association announced Wednesday.
The games will feature teams from Kansas, Colorado and Texas.
The Colorado North All-Stars will play the Texas All-Stars at 3 p.m. and the Kansas All-Stars will play the Colorado South All-Stars at 7 p.m.
A medal ceremony honoring the players and coaches will follow each game of the day.
This year’s Kansas Team consists of Josh Rath, Wyatt Amlong, Miguel Garcia, Golden Plains; Trey Allen, Judah Crow, Dee Steyn, Weskan; Breck Averoff, Langston Nothern, Ingalls; John Sabatka, Harley McPherson, Cheylin; James Dickerman, Austin Miller, Tescott; Luke Albers, Dagim Reed, Trent Schnittker, Cunningham; Jake Hoopingarner, Logan Maier, Otis-Bison; and Oakley Duvall, South Barber.
The Kansas head coach is Golden Plains’ Travis Smith. He will be assisted by Weskan coach Brett Clow, Tescott coach Daymon Walker and South Barber coach Matt Cantrell.
In the 2024 6-Man All-Star Games, Kansas North defeated Colorado North 74-44 and Kansas South defeated Colorado South 51-30.