DODGE CITY – After one of the most harrowing ninth innings in program history, the Hutchinson Community College baseball team finally staked its claim to an outright Jayhawk West championship on Saturday afternoon.
After winning Game 1 of Saturday’s league doubleheader 13-6, the 20th-ranked Blue Dragons held on for a 15-14 Game 2 victory to clinch Hutchinson’s first Jayhawk West crown since 2006. The Blue Dragons (39-17, 22-8 Jayhawk West) will be the No. 2 overall seed for next week’s Central District (Region VI Tournament)
. The game ended when Jake Ek started a 6-3 game-ending double play to Matt Sutluffe. Getting that point was an incredible journey.
HCC trailed 11-10 entering the ninth. Gabe Wurth led off the ninth with a single to deep short and a throwing error. On the next pitch, Jake Schleppenbach drove in his fourth run of the game to tie the game at 4-4. After a walk to Ek, Bennett Oliver was hit with a pitch to load the bases. HCC then took a 12-11 lead on Jordan Schroer’s RBI fielder’s choice to deep short. Matt Jones then delivered an RBI single and Sutliffe added a two-run single to give Hutchinson a 15-11 lead with a five-run ninth.
Dodge City opened its ninth with a solo home run by Hayden Houska off Dakota Shadoan to trim the lead to 15-12. The next four Conquistadors all singled to trim the lead to 15-13. A passed ball cut the Hutch lead to one and Dodge City had the tying run at third and winning run at second with no outs.
Shadoan struck out pinch hitter Hayden Simmons for the first out. The Dragons decided to intentionally walk Leno Ramirez to load the bases. Shadoan then coaxed Jerry Lacayo to ground to Ek, which started the game-ending double play to finally clinch the West crown.
For the second time in three weeks, the Blue Dragons saw a lead of six or more runs disappear. The Blue Dragons led 8-2 after three innings. But HCC committed five errors, including four in a two-run fourth inning that jump-started Dodge City. The Conquistadors added three runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth, tying the game at 10 on a wild pitch.
The Blue Dragons had 14 hits led by Sutliffe’s career-high four hits. Sutliffe added two runs and two RBIs. Schleppenbach went 3 for 4 with a double, home run, four RBIs and two runs scored.
Jake Butlitz broke out of a slump going 3 for 5 with a double, home run with two runs and an RBI. Gabe Wurth added two hits, including his team-leading 10th bunt single. Jones added two hits, including his team-leading 10th home run to center field.
Blue Dragon batters drew nine walks.
Zach Wilson went just 4 1-3 innings in his fourth Jayhawk West start. He gave up eight hits, seven runs, four earned runs with six strikeouts and one walk. Shadoan (3-3) earned the win in relief.
(HCC Sports Information)