by Tyler Scott, KCKCC sports information director
The KCKCC Blue Devils baseball team has claimed the No. 3 seed in the upcoming NJCAA Plains Regional Tournament, the conference announced.
The squad will enter the tournament at 45-10 overall and 26-6 in the KJCCC.
Because of the team claiming one of the top eight seeds, the Blue Devils will play host to one of the eight opening round sites.
KCKCC will play host to Pratt Community College in a best of three game series starting Wednesday. The two teams then square off again on Thursday, while Friday will be an “if necessary” match. First pitch for all three games is scheduled for 1 p.m.
KCKCC is coming off a big series against Cowley College, who claimed the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. The two teams split the four-game series where the Blue Devils took one game at home as well as on the road.
The Blue Devils have been playing some of their best baseball this season, which included a season-long 14-game winning streak and a 12-game winning streak at one point.
Brendyn Bard, Cole Dawson, Pablo Sanchez, Caleb Adams, Darius Freeman and Parker Bosserman are all batting over the .300 mark, while appearing in at least 45 games apiece. Adams has hit double-digit home runs with 11 on the season and Sanchez has hit eight long balls. Dawson leads the squad with 70 runs scored, while Bard has a team high 17 doubles and 65 RBI. Arlen Peters is the top pitcher for the Blue Devils with a 6-2 record. Tre Simmons and Hunter Cashero each have five victories and Cooper Carlgren has racked up a team-high 50 strikeouts.
Other opening round matches for the tournament::
(16) Seward County (14-40) at (44-9) (1) Cowley
(9) Coffeyville (31-22) at (32-22) (8) Butler
(12) Dodge City (28-25) at (41-15) (5) Johnson County
(13) Allen (26-24) at (35-19) (4) Colby
(14) Pratt (22-32) at (45-10) (3) Kansas City KS
(11) Neosho County (24-31) at (35-15) (6) Cloud County
(10) Hutchinson (34-21) at (32-24) (7) Fort Scott
(15) Labette (17-25) at (39-16) (2) Barton
If the Blue Devils advance past Pratt Community College, they will advance to the NJCAA Plains District Region VI Championship at Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas, with games starting May 17.