Month: February 2016

15-hit attack lets KCKCC divide softball openers at Ottawa

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Limited to six hits in an opening 6-1 softball loss at Ottawa University JV Wednesday, Kansas City Kansas Community College rebounded with a 15-hit attack in an 8-5 win.

“We didn’t pitch well in the first game but hit the ball well in the second game,” said KCKCC coach Kacy Tillery, whose Lady Blue Devils return to action at Maple Woods next Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Sophomore Geena Harris of Bonner Springs powered the Blue Devils to the nightcap win, driving in five runs with a 2-run double in the first and a 3-run home run that highlighted a 6-run fifth inning. Winning pitcher Elizabeth Seimears aided her own cause with two doubles and a single; designated hitter Savannah Dugan doubled and singled twice; and Kennedy Rasmussen doubled and singled.

Trailing 4-2 in the fifth, the Blue Devils pulled even on singles by Hannah Bishop, Rasmussen and Dungan and an error before Harris unloaded her 3-run home run. The Blue Devils’ final run came on a double by Seimears and a single Katherine Stringer. KCKCC’s first two runs in the first came on a double by Dungan, an error and Harris’ two-run double.

Seimears did not give up an earned run in going the 7-inning route, striking out two and walking one. The Blue Devils were guilty of three errors, each of which led to run-scoring innings.

KCKCC’s lone run in the opener came on a single by Bishop, an error and Samantha Sudac’s 2-out single. Morgan Oroke doubled and singled and Dungan doubled in the 6-hit attack. Leadoff hitter Aryn Smith was the No. 1 problem for KCKCC hurler Brittany Gustin, reaching base to start run-scoring innings in the first, third and fifth. Gustin allowed six hits, striking out five and walking three.

“Our bats were pretty much non-existent in the first game and we had some base-running errors,” Tillery said. “Defensively we didn’t field as well so obviously we have plenty to work on.”

Alan Hoskins is the sports information director at KCKCC.

Two possible injuries reported in van-car crash

A Dodge Caravan sideswiped a Ford Fusion while both were taking a ramp from I-35 north to the Southwest Boulevard exit on Thursday evening.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol trooper’s report, the two vehicles were in two different lanes when the Caravan failed to maintain a single lane of travel and sideswiped the Fusion. The crash happened about 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25.

The driver of the Caravan, a 35-year-old woman from Kensington, Kan., was taken to the hospital with a possible injury, the trooper’s report stated.

One of the passengers in the Caravan, a 15-year-old girl from Kensington, Kan., also was taken to the hospital with a possible injury, according to the report.

Three other passengers in the Caravan, including a 6-month-old girl, were not injured, according to the report.

The driver of the Fusion, a 16-year-old boy from Roeland Park, Kan., was not injured, according to the trooper’s report.

Four other occupants of the Fusion, including a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy from Kansas City, Kan., also were not injured, the report stated.

Weather starts weekend warmup today

Warm, breezy and dry conditions will move into the area this weekend, bringing heightened fire danger on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

A strong cold front then will move through the area between Tuesday and Tuesday night, with light snow accumulations possible across the area, the weather service said.

Today, the high will be near 51 with mostly sunny skies and a south wind of 5 to 11 mph, according to the weather service.

Tonight, it will be clear with a low of 32, and a west southwest wind of 3 to 6 mph, the weather service said.

Saturday, it will be sunny, with a high near 66, according to the weather service. A southwest wind of 5 to 10 mph will increase to 11 to 16 mph in the afternoon, gusting as high as 24 mph, according to the weather service.

Saturday night, the low will be around 49 with a south southwest wind of 13 to 17 mph, gusting as high as 26 mph, the weather service said.

Sunday, skies will be mostly sunny with a high of 61, according to the weather service. A southwest wind of 14 to 18 mph will become north northwest in the afternoon, gusting as high as 28 mph, the weather service said.

Sunday night, the low will be around 36 with mostly clear skies, the weather service said.

Monday, it will be sunny with a high near 62, according to the weather service. Monday night there is a 40 percent chance of rain with a low of 42, the weather service said.

Tuesday, there is a 50 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms, with a high near 49 and breezy conditions, the weather service said.

Tuesday night, there is a 30 percent chance of rain and snow before midnight, then a chance of snow, according to the weather service. The low will be around 25.