Category: Sports

T-Bones hold upbeat media day; Thursday is season opener

The Kansas City T-Bones held their annual Media Day Monday at Community America Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.  The T-Bones have a new manager and 22 new players this year.

Reviewing the off-season changes, Chris Browne, Vice-President and General Manager of the club said the biggest change was hiring manager John Massarelli. “The ownership group and I sat down and wanted to find a coach with a history of winning, so we were excited to bring John on board.”

Massarelli is also pleased to be managing the T-Bones. “Chris Browne found me in Ohio and I knew Kansas City was a quality organization so I’m excited to be here…. I’ve had 27 years of professional experience and have managed 13 different teams.”

“We have a better roster with better athletes. … “Danny Richar and Vladimir Frias will be keys defensively. Their defense up the middle will really help our pitchers.”

“I don’t think we have a power guy that will lead the league in home runs, but I think we could have five or six guys in the top ten in home runs.”

“I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far.” Massarelli continued, “ It’s been great since I arrived in Kansas City about 10 days ago. Our guys are very athletic and versatile. We’ve got some good characters on and off the field. The early report is good on this team.”

According to Browne, “Kansas City can look forward to some more fun well done. There will be the nightly promotions and giveaways that fans have come to expect, as well as some new giveaways, too.

Mountain Man from Duck Dynasty will appear at the Park June 5, and Jose Canseco will be here August 3 for a home-run contest.

After home exhibition games Monday and Tuesday night, the T-Bones open the 2014 regular season on Thursday, May 15, against Lincoln at 7:05 p.m.  Tickets are available by calling 913-328-5618 or at tbonesbaseball.com.

Piper shot blocker, rebounder C.J. Harper signs with KCKCC

A two-year starter for Piper coach Steve Wallace, left,, forward C.J. Harper will bring his scoring, rebounding and shot-blocking skills to Kansas City Kansas Community College this fall. (KCKCC photo)

by Alan Hoskins

C.J. Harper, a 6-4 rebounder and shot blocker from Piper High School, has signed a letter of intent to attend Kansas City Kansas Community College this fall.
A two-year starter on a Piper team that finished 15-7 the past season, Harper averaged 6.4 points, 5.0 points and a block a game his senior season. He also was 61 of 107 shots from the field for 57.0 percent. As a junior, Harper helped Piper earn a state tournament berth and finish 17-6.
“One of those kids who has improved every year and I can see that continuing at the college level,” said Piper coach Steve Wallace. “He’s a good athlete, strong with good jumping ability and fast for his size. Playing the post for us, his strengths were his rebounding and shot blocking. He spent a lot of time working on basketball in the summer and it’s really helped him to get better each season.”
“We’re excited about C.J.,” said KCKCC coach Kelley Newton. “He’s got a big body with broad shoulders and surprising athletic ability. He’ll be able to play the post position and defend that positions as well.”
Harper is the third area standout to sign with the Blue Devils for 2014-15. Guard Zach Jackson and forward Joe Lendway of Lansing’s undefeated 5A state championship team have also signed with the Blue Devils.

Early morning win has KCKCC one win from World Series

by Alan Hoskins

Kansas City Kansas Community College is one win away from its first trip to the NJCAA World Series since 1976.

The only unbeaten team left in the double elimination super-regional after a 7-1 win over Cowley County in a game that ended at 2:26 a.m. Monday morning, the Blue Devils (39-20) are in the championship game Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Wichita’s Lawrence Dumont Stadium. A win would send KCKCC to the World Series in Grand Junction, Colo., May 23-31. If a second game is needed, it would start at 8 p.m..

The Blue Devils’ opponent will be decided today when Garden City (38-22) and Johnson County (46-12) square off at 4 p.m. with the winner facing Cowley (38-16) at 7 p.m. for the right to advance to the championship game against KCKCC Tuesday. KCKCC has defeated all three teams in the super-regional, nipping No. 1 seeded JCCC 3-2 in the opener and Garden City 12-8 in the second round.

With a day off, the Blue Devils will have pitching ace Geoffrey Birkemeier (8-4) ready to go with three days rest and southpaw Hunter Phillips (9-6) with two days rest. The game will be streamed on the Jayhawk Conference website live stats at www.kjccc.org.

A gutty pitching performance by sophomore E.J. Merlo carried the Blue Devils to their third straight win in the double elimination tournament. A righthander from Blue Springs, Merlo (6-3) gave up just one run in scattering seven hits, striking out seven and walking four over seven innings while sitting out two lengthy delays, one for rain and one for a Cowley protest.

“He really battled the whole way,” said KCKCC Coach Steve Burleson. “Considering the delays because of the weather and the protest and a high pitch count (154), he really battled. He’s a former wrestler with a wrestler’s mentality of wanting to do his part and he did. He bent but never broke and struck out their cleanup hitter with his last pitch in the seventh.”

The protest came in the fifth inning after KCKCC had already scored one run on a force-out at second on Christian Arnold’s slow ground ball after the Blue Devils had loaded the bases on a Luke Norton single, a throwing error on Tanner Thoibdeau’s sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk to Garrett McKinzie. On a hit and run, Daniel LaMunyon flied to rightfield and the throw back to first doubled up Arnold – but not before Thibodeau had tagged and scored from third base.

That brought out a 30-minute protest from Cowley that the run should not have counted. “The rule speaks clearly,” said Burleson. “It’s something I learned about in about 1985 while umpiring a game and I made the incorrect call.”

An effective use of the bunt figured in KCKCC building a 5-0 lead through the first five innings. Norton led off the game with a walk, took second on a Thibodeau bunt and scored on a McKinzie double to right for a 1-0 lead and the Blue Devils added two more in the fourth. After a double by LaMunyon and single by Tyler Raymond, Alex Thrower’s squeeze bunt scored LaMunyon and Raymond scored on a suicide squeeze bunt by Foerschler. The Blue Devils made it 7-0 in the seventh on LaMunyon’s two-run double following a walk and Arnold’s second single of the game.

Alan Hoskins is the sports information director at KCKCC.