Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
EL DORADO, Kan. -- After falling in a competitive matchup with sixth-ranked Butler, the Dodge City Community College softball team got a sharp performance in the circle from Kim Herron and a big game at the plate from Candace Bollig to beat Pratt 3-0 to stay alive at the Region VI Tournament.

The Conquistadors face Colby 10 a.m. Thursday to try and advance to the loser's bracket final later in the day.

DC3 (21-22) started its Wednesday against the Grizzlies and allowed only five combined hits to the explosive Butler offense, but unfortunately for the Conqs two of those were home runs (by Megan Wurts and Brynn Minor) to account for five of the six runs.

Herron got the loss, going 4.2 innings and giving up four runs on two hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

At the plate DC3 managed just three hits with Bollig, Taylor Menard and Kayla Frazier each hitting a single.

Jennifer Hittinger got the win (her 20th of the season) for Butler, going five shutout innings and giving up three hits with eight strikeouts and one walk.

But the Conqs bounced back in its second game of the day as they scored two in the first on a Bollig two-run homer and another run in the second on a Marina Kelly RBI single.

It was more than enough for Herron as the freshman tossed a three-hit shutout with three strikeouts and two walks to improve her record to 16-13 on the season.

Bollig finished 2-for-3 with a home run, triple and two RBI while Kelly went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Frazier was 1-for-2 with a run and a walk.

Bailey Howarah got the loss for Pratt, going the distance and giving up three runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Kate Shields had two of Pratt's three hits.

DC3 takes on a Colby team that it went 0-4 against during the season, however, each game was decided by two runs or less.