Category: KCKCC

Three Blue Devil pitchers combine on two-hitter in 8-3 win

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Parker Weddle and two relievers combined on a two-hitter Wednesday in Kansas City Kansas Community College’s 8-3 win over Benedictine junior varsity in Atchison.

The win boosted the Blue Devils’ record to 5-3 heading into a 2 p.m. clash with Des Moines Area Community College Saturday.

A sophomore from Oak Park High School, Kansas City, Missouri, Weddle didn’t allow a hit until one out in the fourth inning. He worked six innings, allowing one run on two hits. He walked three, struck out nine.

Logan Bernard pitched two innings, giving up no hits, an unearned run and striking out three before Eli Tormes finished up with one hitless frame.

Caleb Adams and Raymond Paniagua each doubled and singled, Brendyn Bard drove in three runs and Darius Freeman two to lead the Blue Devils’ 10-hit attack.

KCKCC scored all the runs Weddle would need in the second inning. After singles by Camden Karlin and Cole Dawson sandwiched around an error scored a run, Bard singled home two more and Adams one in taking a 4-0 lead.

A Paniagua single and sacrifice fly by Samuel Juarez made it 5-0 in the third; Bard drove in his third run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth; and Freeman drove in the final two runs with a single in the ninth.

Lady Blue Devil quartet scores 73 points in 83-50 win

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

The two shortest starters in the Kansas City Kansas Community College lineup stood tallest in the Blue Devils 83-50 win over Hesston Wednesday night.

Tiaria Earnest, a 5-6 sophomore from Detroit, and 5-7 Derby sophomore Aliyah Myers each scored 20 points and Myers added a near record 10 steals to help boost the Blue Devils’ record to 11-1.

Lacy Whitcomb, a 5-6 freshman from Shawnee Mission South, added 17 points and 5-9 Hannah Valentine 16 as the quartet combined for 73 of KCKCC’s 83 points.

The win also evened the Blue Devils’ Jayhawk Conference record at 1-1 heading into a Saturday afternoon doubleheader clash with Highland starting at 2 p.m. Both the women’s and men’s games will be streamed on the KCKCC Blue Devil website.

In addition to their scoring, Myers had 10 steals, Whitcomb 7 and Earnest 6 as the Blue Devils converted 37 Hesston turnovers into 41 points. The 10 steals by Myers were just two off the KCKCC record and tied her for third all time. She also led in assists with six.

Valentine had eight rebounds and Mercer Roberts and Myers six each as the Blue Devils won the rebounding 47-37. Offensively, the Blue Devils were 33-of-81 for 40.7 percent but only 6-of-29 for .207. Hesston was limited to 17-of- 48 for 35.4 percent and .231 from three.

Leading 15-6 after one quarter, the Blue Devils outscored Hesston 21-5 the first five minutes of the second quarter to lead 36-11. KCKCC led 40-18 at the half with Myers and Earnest scoring 12 points each.

Trailing by nine, Lady Blue Devils rally with 27-5 quarter

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Kansas City Kansas Community College’s women got their 10th win of the season Tuesday, an 80-66 victory at Southeast Nebraska in Beatrice but it was hardly a typical Blue Devil performance.

“Kind of a weird game for us tonight,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said, “29 turnovers; our leading scorer Aliyah Myers doesn’t make a single bucket; and we were getting whooped for much of the first half.”

Whatever McKinstry said at halftime worked. Trailing 42-33 at the half, the Blue Devils responded with their most decisive quarter of the season, a 27-5 rampage that opened a 60-47 lead that put the game out of reach.

The win improved the Blue Devils’ record to 10-1 but with little time to enjoy it. They are right back in action Wednesday, as hosts of Hesston in a 5:30 p.m. Jayhawk Conference doubleheader that will be streamed on the KCKCC Blue Devil website.

Despite being knocked from the unbeaten ranks by No. 3 Johnson County Saturday, the Blue Devils dropped only one spot to No. 5 in the NJCAA Division II national rankings.

Five Blue Devils scored in double figures led by Hannah Valentine and De’Jaria Guillory with 14 points each. Tiaria Earnest and Faith Putz added 13 apiece, Lacy Whitcomb 10 and Ikla Elam 8. Mercer Roberts led in rebounds with nine plus six points and four steals while Elam and Myers each had seven rebounds.

“Obviously the third quarter was huge for us,” McKinstry said. “Our defense was tremendous and despite not hitting a single 3-pointer, we still put up 27 points in the quarter. D.J. Guillory was very good for us in the first half and kept us in the game; Hannah Valentine and Mercer Roberts both had great second halves. And despite Aliyah’s shooting woes (0-13), she directed us offensively and collected seven rebounds and six assists so that was definitely good to have. And we still managed to have five players in double figures.”

The Blue Devils were 31-for-73 for 42.5 percent shooting with Guillory (5-5), Valentine (5-7), Whitcomb (4-8) and Elam (4-8) the most accurate. KCKCC had a 47-39 edge in rebounding and both teams were guilty of 29 turnovers. Southeast fell to 9-5 with the loss.