Bonner Springs resident receives MBA

Joleen Vallejo, Bonner Springs, Kansas, graduated with a Master of Business Administration degree with an accounting emphasis in December 2017 at Upper Iowa University, Fayette, Iowa.

Upper Iowa University is a private, not-for-profit university founded in 1857 that serves 5,800 students at its Fayette campus, at 25 U.S. education centers as well as centers in Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Motorcycle accident reported on I-435

A Kansas City, Kansas, motorcyclist was taken to a hospital after an accident at northbound I-435 and Midland Drive in Johnson County, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper’s report.

The Harley-Davidson was northbound on I-435 in the middle lane about 4:10 p.m. Thursday, March 15, when it crossed over to the left lane, then to the inside shoulder, went into the grass median and turned over, according to the trooper’s report.

The driver, a 35-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man, had a possible injury and was taken to a hospital, the report stated.

Gacke, Ortiz, Green lead Blue Devils to sweep of Labette

With winning pitcher Cole Gacke leading the way, sophomore third baseman Brandon Green, far left, was greeted by the entire Blue Devil squad after his 9th inning single gave KCKCC a 4-3 win over Labette Thursday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
Cole Gacke, left, and Brandon Green had reasons to smile Tuesday. In his first 9-inning pitching performance, Gacke allowed five hits and one earned run while Green drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth in a 4-3 win over Labette. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Pitching gems by sophomore Cole Gacke and freshman Orlando Ortiz carried Kansas City Kansas Community College to a much-needed sweep of Labette Thursday.

It took nine innings and a game-winning single by Brandon Green for a come-from-behind 4-3 win in the opener but just five innings for an 11-0 blanking in the nightcap.

The wins vaulted KCKCC (5-5) into a tie for fifth in the Jayhawk Conference and put them over .500 overall at 11-10 heading into a doubleheader at Labette on Saturday.

Gacke was superb in the opener, giving up five hits and just one earned run. He struck out seven, walked none and allowed only two one-out singles the final five innings.

“My first nine-inning game; usually I’m the seven-inning guy,” said Gacke, who joined in the mobbing of Green after his game-winning hit. “I didn’t want to go out there for a 10th inning but I was going.”

Brigham Mooney scored the game-winner, drawing a one-out walk and racing to third on an errant pickoff throw and coming home when Green rifled a two-strike line drive into leftfield.

“The second pitch was a strike and I was mad at myself I didn’t swing at it,” Green said.

KCKCC took a 1-0 lead in the second on singles by Victor Gotay and Adam North and a throwing error, all with two out. Labette tied the game in the fourth on a single, hit batsman and double, and then went ahead 3-1 on a bases-loaded passed ball that scored two runs.

A home run to left by Tyler Pittman ignited KCKCC’s game-tying two-run rally in the sixth. Brandon Still doubled with one out, took third on a passed ball and scored the tying run on a Rorey Combs ground ball.

Ortiz was in complete command in the nightcap, allowing only a third inning two-out single and two walks in five innings. The Blue Devils backed him with 12 hits including seven for extra bases.

Four Blue Devils had a pair of hits as Rorey Combs singled and tripled and Josh Schumacher, Brandon Still and Brigham Mooney each doubled and singled.

Joining the extra hit barrage were Gavin Gifford with a home run; Tyler Pittman with a triple and James Bradley Jr. with a double.

KCKCC took a 2-0 lead just three batters into the first inning. After a leadoff single by Schumacher, Pittman tripled and scored on a Kevin Santiago single.

The Blue Devils added three more runs in the third. Schumacher doubled and with two out, Still singled, Combs tripled and Mooney singled to drive in runs.

Gifford’s home run ignited a 6-run fourth inning that also included a 2-run double by Mooney and run-scoring doubles by Still and Bradley.