Category: KCKCC

Standout pitching, Rymer home run lead KCKCC to sweep

Alexis Rymer, whose 2-run fifth inning home run lifted KCKCC to a 6-4 opening win over Southwestern Iowa Friday, also singled and doubled and then added this double in the Blue Devils’ 8-1 nightcap win. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Stingy pitching by Nerida Elson and Breanna Droge led Kansas City Kansas Community College to a sweep of Southwestern Iowa Friday.

Piper’s Alexis Rymer hit a tie-breaking home run in the fifth inning to back Elson’s strong relief pitching in a 6-4 opening game win; Droge allowed just three hits in an 8-1 second game victory.

The win boosted KCKCC’s record to 6-2 heading into a doubleheader Saturday with Central Nebraska at 1 and 3 p.m.

A sophomore lefthander from Auckland, New Zealand, Elson came on in the fourth inning with the score deadlocked at 4-4. After giving up a hit and a walk, Elson retired the final 12 Spartans in order, three on strikeouts. Defensively, she was backed by a spectacular over the shoulder catch by Devin Purcell in centerfield and a backhand grab and throw by shortstop Savannah Maynard, both in the seventh inning. Bradi Basler pitched the first three innings, allowing four runs on three hits and four walks.

In addition to her tie-breaking 2-run home run, Rymer singled and doubled in a 3-RBI effort. Lindsey Gettle added two hits and an RBI.

Droge faced just 25 hitters in her 3-hitter in the 8-1 nightcap. She struck out eight, walked none and hit one. Her shutout was ruined by a fifth inning home run.

Freshman Hannah Maurer drove in four runs on a home run, double and singled and Maynard doubled twice and singled while driving in two runs. Madison Pope singled and doubled and Purcell singled twice and each drove in a run. KCKCC took a 1-0 lead in the first on singles by Purcell and Maurer and added three runs in the third. Maynard doubled in the first two runs and scored on Purcell’s single.

“Our pitches did a great job today and we played very well defensively,” KCKCC coach Lana Ross said. “We need to continue to get better and get tougher mentally but we played well today.”

Blue Devil southpaw Nerida Elson retired the final Southwestern Iowa hitters in order in KCKCC’s 6-4 win. Elson allowed one hit in four scoreless innings for the win. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
KCKCC’s Devin Purcell easily beat a throw to second base in the Blue Devils’ 8-1 win over Southwestern Iowa. Purcell had two key singles in KCKCC taking a 4-0 lead. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

No. 4-ranked Johnson County survives KCKCC volleyball upset bid

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Kansas City Kansas Community College couldn’t upset No. 4 ranked Johnson County but the Blue Devils gave a whale of an effort in a 3-1 loss in Overland Park Tuesday.

The Cavaliers eked out a 25-23 first set win before the Blue Devils evened the match with a 25-22. JCCC went back ahead with a 25-20 and then closed out the match with another down-to-the-wire 25-23 decision.

KCKCC’s Cassidy Crist led all players with 21 kills while Mia Tomasic added 12 and Michelle Dvorak 9. Adriana Velez led both teams in assists with 45 and was one of five Blue Devils with five or more digs. Crist had 17 and Kelcey Hund 16 to lead the way while Nicole Almestica and Tomasic added 13 and Velez 9.

Velez ranks second in the NJCAA Division II in assists while Crist is fourth in the number of kills and fifth in kills per set.

The Blue Devils are back home Saturday morning at 11 a.m. against No. 7-ranked Highland.

64-point second half propels Blue Devils to 109-62 win

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Hesston absorbed one lethal punch but not a second as Kansas City Kansas Community College stormed to a 109-62 win Wednesday night.

The win evened the Blue Devils’ Jayhawk Conference record at 1-1 and 8-6 overall heading into a home showdown Saturday with No. 15 ranked Highland (7-3) in the second half of a doubleheader. The games at 2 and 4 p.m. will be streamed on the KCKCC Blue Devil website.

KCKCC jumped in front of Hesston 15-3 and led 32-10 halfway through the first half only to have the Larks close the halftime gap to nine points at 45-36.

However, they would get no closer as the Blue Devils started the second half with a 25-6 blitz for a 70-42 lead, a lead that widened to 47 points as the Blue Devils out-scored Hesston 64-26 in the second half.

“Proud of the way our guys bounced back; a good win coming off a loss,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. “Even better we had several guys in double figures. Defensively, we sped them up and caused them to have 25 turnovers.”

Four Blue Devils scored 13 or more points, three off the bench as non-starters combined for 63 of KCKCC’s 109 points. Harmon’s DeAngelo Bell had 23 points, Deron McDaniel 19, Ezekiel Lyons a career high 17 and Bryce Johnson 13 as they combined for 72 points. Caleb Jones and Shayn Jonloo each added eight points and Robert Rhodes and Jermaine Yarbough six apiece.

The Blue Devils shot the ball extremely well, 42-of-75 from the field for 56 percent and 17-of-35 from 3-point (.486). Lyons was a sizzling 5-of-6 from 3-point; McDaniel 4-of-7; and Bell 3-of-5.

“I thought we shot the ball well,” Burgette said. “Making 17 3-poiners is great and we did a good job of sharing the ball. A big step in the right direction for Saturday.”

Jones led all rebounders with 13 as KCKCC won the battle of the boards 43-32, Jones and McDaniel led in assists with six each, Zach Nelson had four.

Defensively, the Blue Devils converted Hesston’s 25 turnovers into 35 points and held the Larks to 36.8 percent shooting.

In other Jayhawk games Wednesday, Johnson County (11-1) took sole possession of first place with an 88-76 win over Fort Scott and Highland defeated Labette 73-68.