by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
To advance in the Region VI playoffs, Kansas City Kansas Community College will have to defeat the reigning regional champion, Barton County.
Seeded No. 3, the Blue Devils (39-14) will play host to the No. 6 Cougars (33-20) in a best-of-three series starting Thursday at 2 p.m.
The second game will be played Friday and a third game if necessary on Saturday. Both will have 2 p.m. starts. In event of rain Thursday, a doubleheader would be played Friday.
Barton finished in a tie with Seward County for fifth and sixth places in the Jayhawk West with Seward (26-25) getting the No. 5 seed against Fort Scott while KCKCC (23-9) finished third in the East a game back of second place Johnson County (24-8) and three behind Cowley (26-6). .
“A tough draw,” KCKCC coach Matt Goldbeck said. “Well coached, as defending Region VI champions Barton has players returning who know how to win. They’re really good on the mound with a 3.34 team earned run average. Offensively, they’ve struggled a little but they’ll bunt, steal, hit-and-run and try to put pressure on our defense. And anyone can get hot at this time of the season.”
Freshman lefthander Osvaldo Mendez (7-2) will draw the starting pitching assignment in Thursday’s opener. The team leader in wins, Mendez has two complete games in 11 starts this season. He’s struck out 59 and walked 32 in 59 innings while compiling a 4.02 ERA.
While the eight other members of the East were finishing their conference schedules, KCKCC has played only one game since May 27.
“The bye week actually helped us get healthy,” Goldbeck said. “We are about as good health-wise as you could be at this time of the year.”
The Blue Devils will enter the playoffs with a team batting average of .329 and seven players hitting .300 or better. Shortstop Kemper Bednar (.366) and first baseman Jose Sosa (.365) are the leaders followed by the outfield trio of Eduardo Acosta (.357), Eric Hinostroza (.352) and Tyler Henry (.352).
Second baseman Traice Hrtter (.326) and designated hitter Kevin Santiago (.333) are the other .300 hitters and will be joined in the starting lineup by third baseman Brady Holder (.246) and catcher J.T. Goodfellow (.291).
Sosa leads in runs batted in (43) and hits (70); Henry in extra base hits (27) and slugging percentage (.635); and Santiago in home runs (6). Henry is also second in home runs (5) and RBI (42) while other RBI leaders are Acosta (36) and Santiago and Bednar, 31 each.
The Blue Devils have stolen more than twice as many bases (96-47) than their opponents with Acosta, Henry, Bednar and Matt Schrick sharing the team lead with 12 each.
Goldbeck is undecided on his second day pitcher. Possibilities include Victory Gotay (2-3). Orlando Ortiz (6-2), Matt Fred (2-1) and Jake Martin (3-0). Jose Amaro leads in saves with four while Gaby Ramos has three and Zavir Morin two.