Dodge City softball team opened the 2023 season at the Winter Blast Tournament playing some topflight competition and while competing in the contests the Conquistadors would fall in each game. 
 
Conqs opened the season with a 10-2 loss to #8 Grayson, while falling 10-1 to Tyler Junior College. On Saturday the Conqs fell to #2 NJCAA Division II, Murray State and Eastern Oklahoma State both by scores of 8-0. 
 
The Conqs are back in action Friday and Saturday, February 17-18^th when they travel back to Texas to take on Howard and Western Texas in doubleheaders. 
 
Winter Blast Tournament Game 1 – vs #8 Grayson lost 10-2 
The Conqs opened the 2023 by working the bases loaded as Melanie Castro drew a walk, Izabella Mikelson then was hit by a pitch, and Addison Spencer drew a walk. Later in the inning the Conqs got their first run when K'lee Flores was hit by a pitch. In the second inning Madison Kacer would register a single and come around to score for the Conqs to lead 2-0. Grayson would get their offense going scoring four in the second, three in the third and fourth innings also and stymied the Conqs offense the rest of the way as the Conqs fell 10-2 in five innings. 
 
Castro was 1-1 with two walks while Kacer finished 1-2 with a run scored and both had a stolen base. Mikelson had a run scored, RBI, and was hit by a pitch. K'lee Flores tossed four innings of work in the contest. 
 
Winter Blast Tournament Game 2 – vs Tyler lost 10-1
Conqs saw Tyler jump on top early with four runs in the first inning but answered with a run on a Spencer RBI single in the bottom of the first. Tyler would manufacture six more runs over the next five innings while the Conqs would work several scoring opportunities but ultimately would strand nine base runners. Conqs fell to Tyler in six innings, 10-1. 
 
Castro led the offense going 2-3 with a run scored, while Jaciana Rivera was 1-2 with a double and walk. Dalaney Utajara posted a 2-2 day at the plate while also tossing four innings of work in the contest. While Spencer went 1-3 with an RBI. 
 
Winter Blast Tournament Game 3 – vs #2 Murray State lost 8-0
Conqs struggled offensively on day two of the Winter Blast Tournament in Denison, Texas. Murray State took the lead early behind three runs in the first and two innings each and ultimately would take the contest 8-0 in six innings. 
 
Spencer registered the Conqs lone hit in the contest going 1-2 with a walk, while Castro drew a pair of walks. Flores tossed 5.2 innings of work in the loss for the Conqs. 
 
Winter Blast Tournament Game 4 – vs Eastern Oklahoma State lost 8-0
The offensive woes continued for the Conqs in the tournament finale as Eastern Oklahoma would plate a run in the second, two in third, three in the fourth, and one more in the fifth and seventh innings. The Conqs would fall 8-0 to Eastern Oklahoma State. 
 
Spencer and Rylie Hufford each went 1-3 in the contest, while Camryn Lenz was 1-2 for the Conqs and Alicyn O'Neill recorded two walks. Utajara tossed four innings in the loss, while Flores finished out the game tossing the final three innings.