CAPTION: The Hutchinson Blue Dragon softball team celebrates after clinching a share of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference title with a doubleheader split with Barton Community College Sunday at Cougar Field in Great Bend. The Blue Dragons won their second league championship in the last three years. CREDIT HUTCHINSON CC SPORTS INFORMATION/BLUE DRAGON SPORTS
By John Mesh
The Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragon softball team clinched a share of their second Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference regular-season title in the past three seasons.
Hutchinson split a crucial Jayhawk Conference doubleheader from Barton Community College Sunday at Cougar Field in Great Bend.
Barton won the first game 3-0 and Hutchinson scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to win the second game 7-5.
The Blue Dragons are 35-9 overall (16-8 on the road) and will share first place in the Jayhawk Conference at 27-5 with Butler Community College. Butler (38-6 overall) swept Pratt 15-0 and 14-2 Sunday.
Barton is 32-14 overall, in third place in the Jayhawk Conference with a 25-7 league record and 16-3 at home.
Sophomore Morgan Tomlinson pitched the first game for the Hutchinson Blue Dragons and Meleia Ingram started for the Barton Cougars.
Tomlinson (19-5) pitched seven innings, allowed three runs (all earned on two home runs), struck out five and walked one.
Ingram (17-5) pitched a one-hit shutout. She allowed a single to Hutchinson’s Bailey Backhaus. She walked three and struck out 10.
The Barton Cougars scored one run on a leadoff home run by Mia Mascarenas in the bottom of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead.
The Cougars scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a two-run homer by Chloe Enslinger.
Allyson McDougal and Mascarenas each had two hits for Barton.
In the bottom of the first inning in Game 2, the Barton Cougars jumped on Blue Dragons’ relief pitcher Jessica Schmidt (who replaced starter Aubree Thomas) for back-to-back home runs by Laney Wood and Aly Lawrence.
In the top of the second inning, Hutchinson tied the score at 2-2 off Barton starting pitcher Brooklynn Angielski. Haley Kruger scored one run with a sacrifice fly and Emily Dice tied the score with an RBI single.
In the bottom of the second inning, Morgan Thatcher’s RBI single and a Blue Dragons’ error put Barton ahead 4-2.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Enslinger (who homered in the first game), belted a solo homer over the fence in center field to give Barton a 5-2 lead.
The Blue Dragons loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh inning. Barton brought in closer Alicia Goseland to replace Angielski on the mound.
Hutchinson hitter Kaibryn Kruger’s fielder’s choice and Tailor Golly’s RBI single cut Barton’s lead to 5-4. Gabby Stauffer gave Hutchinson a 6-5 lead with a two-run single. Golly scored on Brie Brawner’s sacrifice fly and Hutchinson led 7-5. Addi Lutz grounded out to end the inning.
Tomlinson took over on the mound for the Blue Dragons in the bottom of the seventh inning. She allowed one hit but saved the victory.
The Region VI Tournament starts next Friday at Dodge City’s Legends Park.
The NJCAA Division I Softball World Series will be played May 19-24 in Yuma, Ariz.