by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
The Kansas City Kansas Community College softball team without a field still compiled the second best team batting average in college history in 2016.
With every regular hitting .300 or better, the Lady Blue Devils (25-21) compiled a .383 team batting average, second best to the 2014 team that hit .386 – despite not having a home field in 2016.
With construction still underway on a new state-of-the-art all-weather field, the Blue Devils held home games on four different fields and practiced anywhere they could find, most often the soccer or baseball fields or inside the Field House.
The absence of a home field presented all kinds of handicaps, no regular field, never knowing where practice would be held, pitchers not able to throw off a regular mound.
“Despite all the challenges, I was really pleased no one used it as an excuse,” said coach Kacy Tillery. “Whether we were on the soccer field or the baseball field when the team was out of town, everyone came out and worked hard.”
In addition to the soccer and baseball teams sharing their facilities, the Turner and Piper school districts and WyCo Athletic Complex made their fields available for home games.
“We can’t thank Turner, Piper and WyCo enough for their support,” Tillery said.
A record 16 home run performance by designated hitter Tiffany Killam highlighted the big offensive year for the Blue Devils, who belted a record 38 round trippers. A first team All-Region team selection, Killam also led the Blue Devils in runs-batted-in with 49 while hitting .455 and slugging .881.
Brittany Gustin, the workhorse of the pitching staff with a 17-12 record, also led the Blue Devils in hitting with a .466 batting average. One of five .400 plus hitters, she was joined by first baseman Geena Harris, .436 with six home runs and 44 RBI; and outfielders Morgan Oroke (.427) and LaTisha Thomas (.409). Harris and Oroke were named to the All-Region second team.
Other leaders included infielders Elizabeth Seimears (.381), Mekayla Foskett (.356), Kennedy Rasmussen (.329) and Kaylynn Stratton (.324), catcher Savannah Dungan (.342) and outfielder Mekayla Guerrero (.316). Seimears (8-8) also was the No. 2 pitcher but a hamstring injury forced most of the late season pitching load on Gustin, who had more than twice as many innings pitched as any other hurler.
Unfortunately, losses will be heavy – the No. 1 and No. 2 pitchers, Gustin and Seimears and catcher Savannah Dungan, infielders Harris, Foskett and Rasmussen and outfielders Oroke and Guerrero along with backups Serena Escobar, Regan Clough, Hannah Moore and Lauren Johnson.
That leaves only four returnees with more than 25 or more times at bat – starters LaTisha Thomas in the outfield and Kalynn Stratton at third and parttime infielders Sam Sudac and Amy-Grace Wilson around which to build.
With an ultra-attractive new field to offer newcomers, recruiting for next season is well under way.
“We have 14 signed for next year to date,” Tillery said.
The dedication of the new field will be held Oct. 22.
“We’re excited,” Tillery said. “We’re going to have an Alumni Game so that all our former players can come back and be the first ones to play on the new field. It will be special.”