DODGE CITY, Kan. – Battling through a moving cold front on the opening day of Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference play, the Dodge City Community College fell to No. 2-nationally ranked Butler Community College by scores of 3-0 and 15-5 in six innings.
DC3 saw their four-game win streak snapped to fall to 9-5 overall and 0-2 in the KJCCC while Butler extended their winning streak to 60 games while improving to 22-0 overall and 2-0 in the Jayhawk Conference.
The Grizzlies would threaten throughout game one, but be held in check in by sophomore pitcher
Kim Herron until the sixth inning. After putting runners on second and third in the top of the first, the Conquistadors would get out of the inning by throwing out a base runner on a stolen base attempt. Runners would again end up on second and third with one out in the top of the second for BCC, but Herron would pull another magic act by escaping the inning unscathed. Dodge City would get their first base runner in the bottom of the third inning when
Breanna Guerrero would reach on a throwing error, but the opportunity would go wasted as DC3 could not advance Guerrero past first. The next 12 batters over a span of two innings would be retired in order as both pitchers would settle into a groove, with a total of just three hits being recorded in the first five innings. Butler would break through in the sixth inning after a leadoff walk would allow for a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to second and a single and error to score the first run of the game. The Grizzlies would tack on two more unearned runs to take a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth as Dodge City would be set down in order. Herron would respond in the seventh by striking out the final two batters of the inning to send things to the bottom of the seventh, where DC3 would get their final chance to break through at the plate. A comeback would not be in store for Dodge City as a leadoff single by
Brittney Gonzalez would be thwarted by two ground outs and a fielder's choice.
Despite taking the loss, Herron would go the distance and strike out five while giving up just three hits and one earned run.
Butler would not wait as long to get the scoring started in game two, plating two runs on two hits to take a 2-0 lead after one inning of play. The Big blow for the Conquistadors would come in the top of the second as four straight Grizzly batters found their way on base following a leadoff fly out before Brynn Minor would put the score at 7-0 with a grand slam. DC3 would get out of the inning without any more runs scored, but the damage had been done. With Dodge City needing to respond to the five-run inning put up by BCC, the Conquistadors would manage to put their first three batters on base and use two Grizzly errors to score four in their half of the inning and cut the lead to 7-4. After Herron would start the inning with a single,
Makayla Tegtmeier managed to reach on a fielder's choice with Herron advancing on an error and
Dominique Humphrey hitting an infield single to drive in a run. Following a strikeout and RBI fielder's choice,
Kylie Fox would manage to drive in the third DC3 run before Gonzalez would reach on an error to score Humphrey. Things would end up going downhill following the second inning spurt by the Conquistadors, as Butler would put up three runs in the third and sixth innings with two additional runs coming through in the fifth. Dodge City would muster just one more run coming in the bottom of the fourth as a Herron single and Tegtmeier double allowed for Humphrey to drive in
Bailey Jo Hiser who was running for Herron.
Jordyn McDaniel took the loss in game two, throwing a total of 3.1 innings and giving up 12 runs (seven earned).
Matti Tieben tossed two and two-thirds innings, giving up three runs while striking out two. Herron's two hits in two plate appearances would lead Dodge City as Gonzalez, Tegtmeier, Humphrey recorded the other DC3 hits. Fox, along with Humphrey and Guerrero, all drove in runs in game two.
A chance to bounce back is in store for Dodge City on Saturday, March 5th, when the Conquistadors will play host to Pratt Community College at Legends Field starting at 2 p.m. The Beavers are 2-22 overall and 1-1 in the KJCCC after splitting a doubleheader with Barton Community College on Wednesday afternoon.
