Graphic courtesy of Blue Dragon Sports Information
By John Mesh
The Hutchinson Community College baseball team played its final regular-season home doubleheader Thursday against Pratt Community College at Hobart-Detter Field in Hutchinson’s Carey Park.
The Blue Dragons split the twinbill with the Pratt Beavers, taking the first game 6-1 (7 innings) and losing the finale 3-2.
Trenton Roehler (5-3) was the starting and winning pitcher in Game 1 for the Blue Dragons. He pitched six innings, allowed one earned run on three hits, struck out five and walked two. Brandt Phillips pitched one inning and struck out two of the three batters he faced.
In the top of the third inning of the first game, Pratt’s leadoff batter was hit by a pitch and later scored a run to put Pratt ahead 1-0.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Hutchinson’s Adam Mustow belted a solo home run to right field to tie the score at 1-1.
The Blue Dragons scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to lead 6-1. Mazza walked with the bases loaded, Mustow drove in two runs with a single, and Quinn Maher stole home.
The Blue Dragons scored their six runs on just three hits. Pratt pitchers allowed seven walks. Mustow had two of the three hits and drove in three of the six runs.
In the second game, Lachlan Rosser, the KJCCC Pitcher of the Week for last week, started on the mound for the Blue Dragons. He was replaced by Sean Combs, who was solid in relief.
Pratt took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning on a two-RBI double and added a run in the top of the fourth inning to lead 3-0.
Hutchinson scored a run in the bottom of the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Elias Duncan and CJ Reid to cut Pratt’s lead to 3-1.
Pratt was held scoreless in the top of the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Hutchinson did not score in the bottom of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Hutchinson’s Leo Griffin walked, took second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a ground out and scored on Jarrett Herrmann’s RBI single.
With two outs, Hutchinson’s CJ Reid singled to center field and pinch-runner Scotty Fegen moved up to second base. However, Pratt recorded the final out and defeated Hutchinson 3-2.
Hutchinson is 35-19 overall and 16-14 in the Jayhawk West.
Pratt is 13-39 overall and 6-24 in league play.
Hutchinson and Pratt will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at Stanion Field in Pratt to wrap up the Jayhawk Conference regular-season schedule.
Seven Hutchinson Salthawks sign letters of intent
Seven Hutchinson High School Salthawks officially signed letters of intent Wednesday morning to participate in sports at the two-year college level and four-year college level.
They are Kaleb Cape, Sterling College football; Elias Delacruz, Fort Hays State men’s soccer; Kyndra Gaines, Butler Community College track; KeiRre Martinez, Butler CC track; Rylee Miller, Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball manager; Kade Smith, Hutchinson CC football; and Kaia Smith, Hutch CC women’s basketball.
Kade Smith, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound running back, rushed for 1,877 yards and 18 touchdowns during the 2024 season for the Hutchinson Salthawks, who finished the season with an 8-3 record.
Kade Smith rushed for 245 yards in the first-round state playoff win against Liberal. The Salthawks lost to 5A state runner-up Hays 28-0 in the second round the state playoffs.
Kade Smith was named First Team running back by KSHSAA Covered, Sports in Kansas and The Wichita Eagle.
Kade Smith will be joined on the national champion Blue Dragons by Salthawk football teammate Terrell King, who signed with HutchCC on Feb. 5.
Cape, 6-2, 250, was one of Smith’s key blockers on the Salthawks’ offensive line. Hutchinson scored 28.5 points a game and rushed for 272.5 yards a game and rushed for 34 touchdowns (18 for Kade Smith and five for King).
Cape was named honorable mention offensive line by KSHSAA Covered and The Wichita Eagle.
Kaia Smith, a 6-1 forward, averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds a game during the 2024-25 season and 13 points and 8 rebounds a game her junior year.
Martinez has posted a personal record in the long jump at 17 feet, 11 inches and recently won the Buhler Invitational girls long jump competition with an effort of 17-8 1/2.
Martinez’ personal record in the 100-meter dash is 12.93 seconds and has a 200 PR time of 27.8.
Gaines competes in the discus, javelin and shot put. She was sixth in the discus at the Buhler Invitational with a toss of 101-1 and her PR is 119-3. Her PR in the javelin is 96-6 and her shot put PR is 31-8 1/2.
Track stats for Martinez and Gaines were taken from Kansas Milesplit.
Miller will get to be a team manager for a very successful Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball program. Hutchinson CC women’s basketball coach John Ontjes, who guided the Blue Dragons to a national title two years ago, has an 18-year record of 522-101.
Hutchinson varsity, JV soccer teams fall to No. 1 Derby
The Hutchinson High School varsity and junior varsity girls soccer teams took on the Derby Panthers Thursday at Derby.
In the varsity game, Derby defeated Hutchinson 3-0. The halftime score was 2-0.
The Derby Panther varsity improved to 12-1 and Hutchinson is 7-5. The Derby Panthers’ only loss was 2-1 in overtime to Goddard Eisenhower.
The Salthawk JV team lost to Derby 2-0.
Hutchinson hosts Maize on Tuesday and Wichita Trinity Academy next Thursday. Derby plays at Valley Center on Tuesday and hosts Wichita North next Thursday.
Buhler JV boys tennis team placed fourth at AVCTL 3/4 Tournament
The Buhler High School junior varsity boys tennis team placed fourth at the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division 3/4 Tournament Thursday at McPherson.
Buhler’s Ty Campbell placed second in singles and Shane Schroeder placed 12th.
In doubles, Buhler team of Reece Ricker and Linus Duscher placed eighth and the team of Tate Ricker and Cayden Davis placed 10th.
Hutchinson Middle School 7th boys, Prairie Hills 8th girls place first at Buhler’s Brad Steele Invitational
The Hutchinson Middle School seventh grade boys and the Prairie Hills Middle School eighth grade girls captured first-place team titles at the Brad Steele Invitational track meet Thursday at Buhler.
In the seventh grade boys division, Hutchinson scored 111 points and Prairie Hills placed sixth with 31.
In the eighth grade girls division, PHMS scored 96 points and HMS placed sixth with 39.
HMS and PHMS placed fourth and fifth in the eighth grade boys division with 52 and 50 points. Maize South placed first with 125 points, followed by Valley Center with 101.
HMS and PHMS placed third and fourth in the seventh grade girls division with 68 and 67 points. Maize South won the title with 97.5 points and Goddard Eisenhower placed second with 74.
Brad Steele Invitational complete results —https://ks.milesplit.com/meets/669240-brad-steele-invitational-2025/results/1163108/raw