Dodge City went on the road for the first time in Jayhawk Conference action and split with the Hutchinson Blue Dragons, winning game one 5-1 and falling 3-2 in game two. The win in the first game of the doubleheader is the first on the road against the Blue Dragons since 2015.
The split moves the Conquistadors to 21-9 on the season and 7-1 in KJCCC action.
\Another big KJCCC doubleheader looms next as the Conqs welcome Butler to town on Saturday, March 21st, starting at 1:00 pm.
Game 1 – Won 5-1 at Hutchinson
The Conqs grab the early lead against the Blue Dragons as they take advantage of a two-out error in the first to score the initial run of the day. After the run off the error,
Loren Sweat had an RBI single, and
Karli George followed with an RBI double, and the Conqs led 3-0 before the Blue Dragons had a chance to bat. In the bottom of the fourth, the Conqs worked out of a bases-loaded jam and then again worked around base runners by Hutchinson in the fifth by turning a double play. George got on base via a double, and
Paityn Tenbrink ran for her and then scored on an RBI single by
Harley Shoaf as obstruction was called at the plate, giving the Conqs a 4-0 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, Hutchinson managed to get on the board, but the Conqs limited them to a single run and then scored another in the seventh off an RBI double from
Karen Galaviz.
Conqs had eight hits in the win as George was 2-3 with two doubles and an RBI, while Galaviz went 2-3 with a run scored, an RBI, and a walk.
Loren Sweat chipped in a 2-3 outing with an RBI.
Avery McCloskey was stellar in the circle for the Conqs, tossing all seven innings to earn his eighth win as she gave up an unearned run on four hits and four walks, while striking out seven.
Game 2 – Lost 3-2 at Hutchinson
The bats were relatively quiet early in game two as both teams had a few base runners, but the game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Hutchinson tallied the first run of the game. In the top of the fifth, Shoaf drove in
Kloe Nelson on an RBI double, pulling the Conqs even. Then, in the sixth, the Conqs took advantage of more Hutchinson miscues, plating a run to take a 2-1 lead. Hutchinson responded in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs to regain the lead, and the Conqs were unable to mount another push in the seventh, falling 3-2.
Conqs had just three hits as
Riley Moore, McCloskey, and Shoaf each notched a hit in the loss.
Jordyn Boxberger in the circle tossed a solid five innings of action, giving up three runs on eight hits and no walks, while George tossed one inning of action.
