by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Six Kansas City Kansas Community College sophomores have not played their final game at home.
Dividing a doubleheader with Cowley College at Sophomore Day Thursday, the Blue Devils wrapped up a sixth place Jayhawk Conference finish and a home field berth in the Region VI playoffs beginning Saturday, May 4.
While final pairings have yet to be set, the Blue Devils are expected to play either Cloud County or Fort Scott in a best-of-three series with two games on Saturday and a third if necessary on Sunday.
A tie-breaking home run by Alexis Rymer and near flawless relief pitching by Mackenzie Pinkerton propelled the Blue Devils to a 9-6 win in Thursday’s opener against Cowley.
However, the Tigers rebounded with a 9-1 second game win. The split left KCKCC 34-18 heading into the regular season finale against North Arkansas in Harrison Wednesday.
The Blue Devils jumped off to a 5-0 lead in the opener. Pinkerton provided the big blow, a bases-loaded triple after a Hannah Redick leadoff double, two walks and a hit batsman. Cowley cut the lead to 5-2 on a walk and a pair of doubles in the second but KCKCC got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning on Redick’s second double and a Shay Grosstephan double.
The 6-2 lead, however, did not stand up. Ashton Friend started the Cowley third with a two-run home run and the Tigers loaded the bases on a walk, double and an error and Pinkerton was brought on in relief of Grosstephan. Pinkerton gave up a game-tying single but then allowed only two base runners the final four innings, one of whom was retired on a double play started by Redick at shortstop.
Rymer broke the 6-6 tie with towering fly ball to left-center in the fifth and the Blue Devils added a second run on a double by Pinkerton and singles by Alaina Howe and Britney Smith. Rymer just missed a second home run as KCKCC added an insurance run in the sixth. Rymer’s double hit off the top of the fence in left-center.
Cowley took command of the nightcap in the first inning, scoring five runs – four of which were unearned. Lataylah Perez delivered the big blow, a bases-loaded triple after a throwing error.
The Blue Devils were limited to single by Devin Purcell and Howe in the 5-inning contest.
KCKCC’s lone run came in the first on a walk, two wild pitches and a Purcell ground ball. Pinkerton pitched the first two innings, Grosstephan the final three, each giving up five hits.
Hesston, which has won 23 games in a row, and Highland, deadlocked for the Jayhawk Conference championship at 15-5 and Johnson County (13-5) could make it a three-way tie with a sweep of Fort Scott in their final games. They are followed by Cowley (14-6), Labette (13-7), KCKCC (12-8), Neosho County (10-10), Allen County (7-13), Cloud County (4-16), Fort Scott (3-15) and Coffeyville (2-17) trailed the Blue Devils.
