Month: February 2017

Purl’s 2-hit pitching gem highlights KCKCC split in Texas

Jake Purl

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Sophomore Jake Purl gave Kansas City Kansas Community College a spectacular start to the Blue Devils spring road trip to Dallas, Texas, Friday.

A 6-3 sophomore righthander from Park Hill South, Purl did not surrender a hit until the fifth inning and finished with a two-hitter in six scoreless innings in a 3-2 win over Richland Community College. Purl’s gem wasn’t enough to carry the Blue Devils to a sweep, however, as Richland won the nightcap 7-4.

KCKCC will play Eastfield in a doubleheader Saturday before resuming its series with Richland Sunday and Monday.

Purl struck out 11 and gave up three walks in six scoreless innings. He threw 89 pitches, 59 for strikes. Luke Ostenson, a freshman from Shawnee Heights, got a save after pitching out of a scary jam in the seventh. Richland started the seventh with three straight singles, scoring twice and putting the tying run on second before Ostenson ended the game with a strikeout, ground ball and fly ball.

Shawnee Mission North sophomore Chase Redick provided the game-winning blow, a two-run home run to left center in a 3-run third inning. Back-to-back singles by Josh Schumacher and Albert Woodard and a balk scored the game’s first run before Redick’s big blast. Redick also had a double as did Zach Mahoney as the Blue Devils were limited to seven hits.

Richland jumped on starter Chad Cox for eight hits and six runs, four of which were earned, in jumping to a 6-2 lead in the first three innings of the nightcap. The Blue Devils matched Richland in hits with nine but were without an extra base hit. Easton Fortuna led the way with three singles while Albert Woodard added a pair.

KCKCC took a 1-0 lead in the first on three consecutive singles to start the game by Woodard, Fortuna and Redick and pulled to within 4-2 in the third on singles by Fortuna and Alex Phillips. The Blue Devils scored their final two runs in the fifth on back-to-back singles by Rorey Combs, Woodard and Fortuna and Redick’s sacrifice fly.

Saturday events

Democrats to meet Feb. 18
The Wyandotte County Third Saturday Democratic Breakfast will meet Saturday, Feb. 18, at The Dotte Spot Bar and Grill, 8123 Parallel Parkway. The guest speaker will be Mayor-CEO Mark Holland. A breakfast buffet will be available at 8:15 a.m. and the program begins at 9:15 a.m. The program is open to all Democrats. The cost for the breakfast buffet is $10, or $6 for students and those on limited incomes. There is a $2 charge for coffee for those who do not purchase breakfast. Reservations are requested by Thursday, Feb. 16, to [email protected].

Quilting program offered
Learn to quilt at a program from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at the West Wyandotte Library, conference room C, 1737 N. 82nd, Kansas City, Kan. The program covers the basics of quilting, along with new skills. It is for age 11 and older. Registration is required in advance to 913-295-8250.

25th annual Black History and Scholarship Banquet planned Feb. 18
The 25th Black History and Scholarship Banquet will be held Feb. 18 in Kansas City, Kan. The host of the event is the Unified Government’s Black History Committee. The committee is a partner with the Kansas City, Kan., Public Library and Kansas City Kansas Community College to bring Jane Elliott, a lecturer and diversity trainer, to Kansas City, Kan., for the event.“ This year’s theme is “Power, Perception and Prejudice; What’s Goin’ On.” Jane Elliott’s powerful and thought provoking lectures will provide an added insight to the problems of racism, sexism, and the many -isms of life that people experience one time or another. On Saturday, Feb. 18, Elliott will deliver the keynote message “Power, Perception, and Prejudice” during the Black History and Scholarship Banquet at the Jack Reardon Convention Center, at 500 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kan. The two hour banquet starts at 6 p.m. Scholarships will be presented to local college students and there will be an award presentation to acknowledge a local black entrepreneur. Tickets for this event are $50. Contact Deasiray Norris at 913-573-5110 or [email protected] to purchase tickets.

Bowling fund-raiser for Special Olympics to be Feb. 18
Kansas City, Kan., firefighters, IAFF and Special Olympics Bowl-a-Thon is scheduled on Saturday, Feb. 18, at KC Bowl, 82nd and State Avenue. Registration begins at noon.

Jazz on the Lake fundraiser planned Feb. 18
The Bonner Springs Library is planning a biennial fundraiser featuring the Kicks Band, barbecue, and live and silent auctions. Jazz on the Lake will be from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Lake of the Forest Clubhouse, Bonner Springs. Tickets are $50 per person and may be purchased at the Bonner Springs City Library, 201 N. Nettleton Ave. Barbecued turkey, brisket and pork loin are on the menu. Casual sports attire may be worn. For more information, see http://bonnerlibrary.org/jazz-on-the-lake/ or call 913-441-2665.

First home run highlights opening KCKCC softball sweep

Mikaela Hoffart

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College opened its new softball complex in appropriate fashion Friday, pounding out 22 hits in sunny 73-degree weather in a doubleheader sweep of Southeast (Neb.) Community College.

The sweep was highlighted by the first home run at the all-weather complex, a two-run shot by Salina freshman Mikaela Hoffart in a 9-5 nightcap win that came on the heels of an opening 9-4 win.

The Blue Devils are right back in action next week, as hosts of North Central Tuesday, Maple Woods Thursday (both 1 p.m.) and Iowa Central Friday (2 p.m.)

“We hit the ball well; I’ll take nine runs every game I can,” KCKCC coach Kacy Tillery said. “And we ran the bases well – five stolen bases in the first game. But we have to tighten up our defense. We can’t give up four or five runs every game.”

A pair of freshmen got the pitching wins. Megan Sumonja of Lawrence allowed six hits, three earned runs, struck out eight and walked five in six innings in the opener before Megan Mason retired the final three Southeast hitters in the seventh. Shannon Greene of McLouth gave up five earned runs in the first three innings of the 9-5 nightcap, then blanked the visitors on three singles the final three innings.

“Megan pitched well especially after missing practice yesterday because of the death of her grandmother while Shannon Greene struck out seven and walked only one,” Tillery said.

LaTisha Thomas, Allison Kasick, Candice Jennings and Natalie Cowan each had a pair of singles in the opener with Kasick driving in three runs, The Blue Devils scored single runs in the first and second and then added four in the fourth on singles by Hoffart, Sam Sudcac and Cowan and pair of walks while Sumonja allowed just one hit in KCKCC’s 6-0 start.

Hoffart added a double and single to her 2-run homer in the nightcap, finishing with three RBI while Jennings had a pair of doubles, Amy-Grace a double and single and two RBI and Thomas a pair of singles. KCKCC trailed three times (2-0, 3-2 and 5-4) before Hoffart followed a leadoff double by Allison Kasick with her home run to left for a 6-5 lead. The Blue Devils then put the game out of reach with a 3-run fifth inning highlighted by a double by Jennings and singles by Hoffart, Wilson and Thomas.