Month: April 2016

Blue Devils face Highland in pivotal four-game Jayhawk series

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Heading into a pivotal four-game series with Highland this week, Kansas City Kansas Community College gave its relief pitching staff some much needed work Tuesday but without the expected results.

Eight Blue Devil pitchers were tagged for 23 hits in a 19-6 loss at Maple Woods. The loss dropped the Blue Devils to 25-12 heading into a Jayhawk Conference doubleheader at Highland Thursday at 1 p.m. Highland will then come to KCKCC Saturday with retired Blue Devil coach Steve Burleson throwing out the first pitch at 12:55 p.m.

It’s a crucial four-game series for the Blue Devils (13-7), who trail Neosho County (15-5) by two games and share second place with Fort Scott, Allen County and Cowley. Other Jayhawk matchups this weekend include Neosho-Coffeyville, Allen County-Fort Scott, Cowley-Independence and Johnson County-Labette.

Maple Woods scored in every inning but the eighth in the 23-hit barrage that included 12 extra base hits – seven doubles, two triples and three home runs.

KCKCC’s highlights were limited to leadoff home runs by Conor Behrens in the third and Travis Stroup in the fifth and a two-run triple by Levi Froud in the ninth. Behrens, Stroup, Froud and Ryan Fisher each had a pair of hits as they combined for all but two of the Blue Devils’ 10 hits.

Red flag warning in effect this afternoon

A red flag warning will be in effect this afternoon in Wyandotte County, according to the National Weather Service. (National Weather Service graphic)
A red flag warning will be in effect this afternoon in Wyandotte County, according to the National Weather Service. (National Weather Service graphic)

A red flag warning will be in effect from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. this afternoon for a wide area including Wyandotte County, according to the National Weather Service.

Minimum relative humidity values will drop below 25 percent and some fuels are still relatively dry, the weather service said.

Residents are advised to avoid open burning today.

A wind advisory also will be in effect from noon to 7 p.m. this afternoon, the weather service said. Northwesterly winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 44 mph will be likely.

Freezing or near-freezing temperatures may be possible Saturday morning, posing a risk to sensitive vegetation, according to the weather service.

Today’s high will be near 64, with sunny skies, the weather service said. Tonight, the low will be around 38. Winds tonight could gust as high as 31 mph.

Friday, it will be sunny with a high near 62, according to the weather service. A northwest wind of 6 to 11 mph will increase to 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon, gusting as high as 26 mph.

Friday night, the low will be near 33 with mostly clear skies, according to the weather service. A north northwest wind of 8 to 13 mph will become light and variable.

Saturday, there will be a high near 59 with mostly sunny skies, the weather service said.