Dodge City softball team put together a run in the Region 6 Tournament to wrap up their season going 2-2 in the tournament as the six seed.
The Conquistadors fell in the first round to Colby 9-3 but responded to win their next two elimination games beating Seward County 5-4 and Barton 3-2 to face Colby again in another elimination game. While the Conqs gave Colby a run for their money once again late runs by the Trojans would the Conqs season with a 7-3 loss.
Conqs cap the season with a 19-30 record, going 2-2 in the Region 6 Tournament.
Game 1 – Lost 9-3 vs Colby
Dodge City opened the tournament getting on the board against Colby as Melanie Castro led the inning off with a single and would score on an RBI single by K'lee Flores in the first inning. The 1-0 lead lasted until the bottom of the fourth inning when Colby opened the inning with a double, RBI single, and a two-run home run to give the Trojans the 3-1 lead. In the top of the fifth, the Conqs got back on the board with two more runs in the top of the fifth with an RBI single by Rylie Hufford highlighting the inning, but the Conqs would leave the bases loaded despite tying the game at 3-3. In the bottom of the fifth Colby regained the lead scoring two runs and then added four more in the sixth leading to a 9-3 final.
Flores led the offense for the Conqs going 3-3 with a hit by pitch and RBI, while Delaney Utajara had a triple and walk. Castro and Hufford each tallied a hit and Madison Kacer drew two walks and scored a run.
Game 2 – Won 5-4 vs Seward County
Facing elimination after a first-round loss the Conqs would respond against Seward County to open a long Saturday of action at the Region 6 Tournament. Seward County struck first plating a run in the top of the first inning but the Conqs would answer in a big way sending eight to the plate in the bottom of the first to score three runs. Working the bases loaded the Conqs would then see Seward have back-to-back errors leading to the Conqs' three runs. A leadoff triple by Castro in the second would lead to a 4-1 Conqs advantage and then an RBI single by Mia Golka in the third to make it 5-1 but Seward would get a two-run home run in the third to draw within two. Seward would tighten the game further in the fifth with another run and threaten to tie the game in the sixth but the Conqs maintained the lead and finished the game out for the 5-4 win.
Flores tossed four innings of work and then Utajara threw the final three innings without giving up a run on her line. Addison Spencer was 2-3 with a run scored for the Conqs, while Flores was 1-2 with two runs scored and a walk. Hufford and Golka each had a hit and RBI, while Castro had a triple and run scored.
Game 3 – Won 3-2 vs Barton
The Conqs after beating Seward County looked to avoid elimination again this time taking on Barton. Barton took the earlier lead with a run in the bottom of the first. In the second the Conqs would get a pair of early walks in the inning and Golka then had a RBI single, and Izabella Mikelson would then register an RBI single later in the inning, also. Barton tied the game in the second with another run and the game remained tied until the top of the fourth. It was Mikelson in the fourth that delivered for the Conqs to grab the lead as she brought in Reneau Ratzlaff on an RBI single. Barton would get a few opportunities over the course of the rest of the game, but the Conqs navigated through the situations to grab the 3-2 win over the Cougars.
Conqs only had five hits in the win as Mikelson led the way with a 2-2 performance with two RBI and a walk. Golka, Utajara, and Spencer each added a hit. Flores earned the win in the circle tossing 6.1 innings giving up just one run on five hits and one walk.
Game 4 – Lost 9-3 vs Colby
Looking to avoid elimination one more time on Saturday the Conqs were playing in their third game of the day and faced off against Colby in a rematch of the first round of the Region 6 Tournament. Colby would score first this time around as the Trojans plated a run in the bottom of the first. The Conqs answered in the third with two runs to grab the lead as Mikelson and Castro opened the inning with a single and an error and sacrifice fly would score the runs. In the bottom of the third Colby tied the game at 2-2 with a solo home run. The fifth would see the Conqs snatch the lead back with a bases-loaded walk by Utajara to make it 3-2 but the Conqs would leave the bases loaded in the inning. In the bottom of the sixth behind a couple of home runs Colby took the lead and plated five runs to lead to a 7-3 run to end the Conqs season.
In the loss, Flores would toss 5.2 innings inside the circle, while offensively Mikelson was 2-3 with a run scored and Utajara was 1-3 with an RBI and a walk. Spencer added a 1-2 game with a double, a walk, and a double. Hufford was 1-3 with a run scored and a walk, and Castro added a 1-4 game with a run scored.
