Sports roundup: Volleyball season ends in Liberal

By Adam Kolb
Co-Sports Editor

The Hutchinson Community College volleyball team saw its first season under coach Delice Downing come to an end on Friday in the Region 6 Tournament semifinals at Seward County’s Green House.

Like the two previous matches with the Barton Cougars, each of the previous 12 sets Hutchinson and Barton played were tightly contested, several of which were decided by two points. The Cougars prevailed and eliminated the Blue Dragons 25-21, 27-25, 25-23.

Freshman Kristina Head led the Blue Dragons with 15 kills. She had six kills in the second set and seven in the third. Sophomore Chloe Price finished with 37 assists with two kills, two total blocks and an ace. Freshman Shelby Reeder had a team-high 18 digs. 

The Blue Dragons complete their season at 18-10 with a third-place finish in the Jayhawk West and an 11th-straight appearance in the regional semifinals. Barton went on to defeat top-seeded Seward County in five sets to win their first Region 6 Championship since 2011.

Baseball – The Blue Dragons pitching staff hasn’t grabbed many headlines this season, but the Blue Dragons were impressive last Thursday on the mound to open a Jayhawk West series with the Pratt Beavers.

Zach Firmature threw a complete-game three hitter, then Sammy Sanchez, Josh Mitchell and Tyler Delong combined to scatter 10 hits as the Blue Dragons took the first two games of the series from Pratt at Stanion Field. 

The Blue Dragons defeated Pratt 5-2 and 8-2 on Thursday to improve to 17-9 overall and 11-3 in the Jayhawk West. Games 3 and 4 will be played at 1 and 3:30 on Saturday at Hobart-Detter Field. One win on Saturday secures a fourth-straight Jayhawk West victory.

Softball – Pitcher Jordan Galliher became just the second pitcher of the modern era to throw multiple no-hitters in a career as the second-year pitcher no-hit the Northwest Kansas Tech Mavericks in the first game of a Jayhawk Conference doubleheader on Tuesday at Fun Valley.

Galliher helped the Blue Dragons snap a six-game KJCCC losing streak as Hutchinson won the opener 8-0 in five innings. The Blue Dragons defeated Northwest 11-6 in Game 2.

Galliher struck out a career-high 11 batters, striking out the side in the fifth inning. She allowed only two walks, both coming after the fourth inning.

Galliher’s first career no-hitter came when she orchestrated a perfect game against the Allen Red Devils in her collegiate debut. She joins Holly Kelly as the only Blue Dragon pitchers in the modern era to have multiple career no-hitters.

Hutchinson has now improved to 16-12 overall and returned to the .500 mark in the Jayhawk West at 6-6.

Basketball – Both teams advanced to Friday’s Region 6 semifinals at Friends University in Wichita.

The men dispatched Independence 93-74 on Wednesday at the Sports Arena, and now will play Coffeyville in a 2 p.m. semifinal.

Matt Mayers led the way with 26 points and eight rebounds.

The women, behind a school-record 18 made 3-pointers, rolled by Cowley 84-64 and will play Independence at noon.

Tor’e Alford led the way with 26 points on 9-12 shooting, while Kayhla Adams dished out 15 assists.

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