Month: May 2017

Seven Lady Blue Devils earn post-season softball honors

Seven KCKCC softball players earned post-season honors this spring. They are, from left, Alison Kasick, All-Jayhawk and All-District first team; LaTisha Thomas, All-Jayhawk and All-District second team; Kaylynn Stratton, All-District second team and All-Jayhawk honorable mention; and All-District selections Candice Jennings, first team; Mikaela Hoffart, second team; Hannah Bishop, first team; and Megan Sumonja, second team. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Seven members of the 2017 Kansas City Kansas Community College softball team have earned post-season honors headed by All-Jayhawk Conference first teamer Allison Kasick.

A freshman designated hitter from Basehor-Linwood, Kasick was named to the All-District E first team and All-Jayhawk first team. Sophomore LaTisha Thomas of Highland Park was named to the All-Jayhawk second team and Turner sophomore Kaylynn Stratton earned all-conference honorable mention.

Kasick hit a record .504 for the Blue Devils this season and led the team hit doubles (15), home runs (10), runs-batted-in (60) and slugging percentage (.882). Her .504 batting average was second best in the Jayhawk. A two-year starter, Thomas hit .434 and led the Blue Devils in stolen bases with 20 while Stratton’s .472 batting average was fifth best in the conference.

Joining Kasick on the All-District E first team are shortstop Candice Jennings of Basehor-Linwood and outfielder Hannah Bishop of Van Horn. Both are sophomores. Thomas and Stratton are joined by freshman Mikaela Hoffart of Salina and sophomore pitcher Megan Sumonja of Lawrence on the all-district second team.

Bishop was third in hitting at .441, third in RBI with 28 and tied with Kasick and Stratton with the team lead in hits with 60; Jennings was second in doubles with 14 and fourth in hitting with a .412 average. Hoffart was second in RBI’s with 35 while hitting .365 while Sumonja was the team leader in pitching wins with 10 while compiling a 3.46 ERA.

Isolated thunderstorms possible today

National Weather Service graphic

Isolated thunderstorms will be possible this morning and again this afternoon, south of I-70, according to the National Weather Service.

The storms will not be severe, according to the weather service.

Today, the chance of showers and storms is 50 percent, the weather service said. The high will be near 69 with a northeast wind of 8 to 10 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch are possible.

Tonight, there will be a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10 p.m., according to the weather service. It will be mostly cloudy with a low of 52 and a north wind of 6 to 8 mph.

Friday, the forecast calls for a sunny day with a high near 72, the weather service said. There will be a north northeast wind of 6 to 9 mph.

Friday night will be clear with a low of 51, according to the weather service. A north northeast wind of 5 to 7 mph will become calm in the evening.

Saturday will be sunny with a high near 78, the weather service said. There will be a calm wind becoming south, 5 to 9 mph in the morning.

Saturday night will be mostly clear with a low of 57, according to the weather service.

Sunday, expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 82, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be mostly clear with a low of 63, according to the weather service.

Monday, expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 86, the weather service said.

Monday night will be partly cloudy with a low of 66, according to the weather service.

Police identify three homicide victims

Kansas City, Kansas, police have identified the three homicide victims from a shooting Tuesday night in the 1900 block of South Boeke Street.

The three victims are Bernadette Gosserand, 47, Jeremy Rocha, 26, and Vincent Rocha, 47, police said.

Another victim, a man in his 20s, survived and is in a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

Officers resonded to a shooting call about 10:22 p.m. May 9, according to a police spokesman.

A preliminary investigation revealed that a victim came home and was struck in the head by a man. Before leaving the suspect shot the victim in the back, and then fled, police said.

The victim was able to alert police, who responded to the home. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the victim and located three adults who had been killed inside the residence, according to the spokesman.

Officers went to the 3200 block of Waverly Avenue, where they observed the suspect and conducted a search. A canine unit assisted.

Anyone with more information about this crime is encouraged to contact the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS. The case is being investigated by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division.