Blue Dragon baseball starts season with historical wins

By Adam Kolb / Co-Sports Editor

For the first time in Hutchinson Community College baseball history, the Blue Dragons have back-to-back shutouts in the first two games of a season.

Dawson Linder threw a one-hit shutout in Game 1 on Saturday, in a 10-0 win over Northern Oklahoma-Enid. Then Brain Skillman and Zach Firmature followed with a combined four-hit shutout in a 1-0 Hutchinson win.

In Game 1, Linder allowed just four Enid baserunners in the game – two walks, one hit batter and a Cale Salvage single in the fourth inning of the five-inning, rule-rule contest. Leading 10-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Linder worked a 1-2-3 inning to earn his third career victory. He needed 68 pitches to toss his first career complete game and shutout. He finished with five strikeouts.

In Game 2, Skillman allowed just two hits and struck out five with no walks. Firmature took over in the fourth with the game still scoreless. Firmature delivered four strong innings with only two hits and one walk allowed, while having four strikeouts to earn the victory. Drew Reetz, Will Reetz, and Luke Satori had the only Blue Dragon hits.

The Blue Dragons won their season opener for the third-straight season. The 2-0 Blue Dragons will now compete at the UCO Festival this weekend in Edmond, Oklahoma. Hutchinson will face Crowder and Redlands on Friday and NEO on Saturday.

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