Month: May 2018

T-Bones ready for home opener tonight

The Kansas City T-Bones are set to open the 2018 season tonight.

This will be the T-Bones’ 16th season in Wyandotte County, and they are planning a summer of baseball, all starting with the series beginning at 7:05 p.m. today.

All home games are played at T-Bones Stadium, 1800 Village West Parkway, near I-70 and I-435 in Kansas City, Kansas. Parking is free.

The Gary South Shore RailCats will face the T-Bones tonight. The first 1,500 persons at the game will receive T-Bones T-shirts.

Frank Mason III, who plays basketball for Sacramento after starring at the University of Kansas, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

There also is a pregame fly-in by the Falcon Skydiving team. Two-for-one choice level tickets are on special tonight, at two for $13.

Wednesday, May 23, the T-Bones will play Gary at 7:05 p.m. The first 1,500 fans will receive a magnet schedule. It’s also Sizzle’s Homerun Readers Redemption night.

In addition, on May 23 it will be Warrior Wednesday, with a free ticket for any level with a military identification, retired or active. Warrior Wednesday is sponsored by War Horses for Veterans.

Thursday, May 24, at 7:05 p.m., will be Dilly Dilly Night, with a Pit of Misery, Throne and Beer Pitcher Race.

It also will be Throwndown Thursday, when beer is $1.50 and hot dogs are $1.50.

The T-Bones will be on the road from May 25 to May 31. They will return home for a three-game series June 1 to June 3 featuring post-game meet the team night on the field, Bull Durham Tribute Night, kids campout and on-field yoga.

Individual tickets, season, group, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale and can be purchased by visiting the Box Office at T-Bones Stadium or 24/7 at www.tbonesbaseball.com. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

– Story from T-Bones

KCKCC’s Gacke, Combs named to all-Jayhawk second team

Cole Gacke (KCKCC photo)

Rorey Combs (KCKCC photo)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Pitcher Cole Gacke and outfielder Rorey Combs headline Kansas City Kansas Community College’s post-season baseball honors.

Both Gacke and Combs were named to the East All-Jayhawk Conference second team. In addition, outfielder Josh Shumacher, first baseman Brandon Still and shortstop Kevin Santiago earned honorable mention. All are sophomores with the exception of Santiago.

The selections were made by a vote of conference coaches, who could not vote on their own players. KCKCC (17-19) finished in a tie for sixth and seventh in the Jayhawk East although the Blue Devils were only two games back of third place Neosho County and Johnson County, both 19-17. No Blue Devil was selected to the All-Region VI team.

A righthander from Liberty North, Gacke compiled a 10-2 record which tied him for second in pitching victories in the Jayhawk. Gacke made 14 starts and completed eight including a pair of shutouts, all team highs. He also led the Blue Devils in innings pitched with 83 2/3 and had an outstanding strike out to walk ratio, fanning 70 while walking 24. He had a 5.06 earned run average.

A lefthanded hitter from Truman High School in Independence, Combs finished second in runs-batted-in with 51 and third in home runs with seven while hitting .340 in 59 games. The team leader in slugging percentage at .613, Combs was also second in extra base hits (28) and stolen bases (16).

Schumacher, an outfielder from Aurora, Coloradp, led the Blue Devils in batting average (.387), hits (82), runs (74) and stolen bases (18) while driving in 34 runs and slugging .575 from the leadoff spot in the batting order. A two-year starter, Schumacher was flawless defensively, handling 68 chances without an error.

Still, who saw limited action as a freshman, was the Blue Devils most improved player. A first baseman from Springdale, Arkansas, he was third in hitting (.342) and RBI (46). He was also fourth in extra base hits (25) and fifth in slugging percentage (.532).

Santiago led the Blue Devils in RBI (63), slugging (.713), home runs (11) and extras base hits (35) while hitting .386. A freshman from Jayua, Puerto Rico, he was also second in hits (78) and runs scored (54).

Cowley College, which won the Jayhawk East with a 32-4 but was beaten in the finals of the Region VI championship by West Division winner Barton County, dominated the All-Jayhawk team with seven players on the 14-member first team including five freshmen.

Outfielder Alex Peterson was named Co-MVP and Freshman of the Year while another frosh, Andrew Roach, was named Pitcher of the Year. Peterson led the East in hitting (.447) and the region in RBI (88) while stealing 23 bases. Roach was 6-1 with a 3.88 earned run average.

Fort Scott’s Andrew Morrow shared MVP honors with Peterson after hitting .424 with 17 home runs, both second in the division.

In Independence’s final season of baseball, Beau Schultz was named the East Coach of the Year after guiding the Pirates to a sixth place tie and a return to the playoffs. Independence has announced it no longer will be offering baseball on a competitive basis.