by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Highlighted by a no-hit pitching performance, Kansas City Kansas Community College closed out its home baseball season by sweeping a pair of doubleheaders Monday and Tuesday.
The win boosted the Blue Devils’ overall record to 32-23 heading into first round Region VI playoff action Saturday at Butler County (27-27) in El Dorado. A best of three series, two games will be played Saturday starting at 1 p.m. with a third game if necessary Sunday at 1 p.m.
Making his first start of the year, Blue Springs South sophomore Landon Mason pitched a no-hitter in a 10-0 win over Saint Mary JV Monday. Mason walked just one and struck out two in five innings.
Of Mason’s 56 pitches, 38 were strikes as he retired eight hitters on ground balls and five on fly balls. Daniel LaMunyon drove in four runs with a 2-run single in the first and 2-run triple in the fourth while Travis Stroup had two singles and a 2-run triple and Easton Edmond three singles and two RBI.
KCKCC won Monday’s opener over Saint Mary 8-3 behind the 6-hit pitching of Dustin Eby. Edmond led the way with three RBI on a double and single while Eli Lovell also singled and doubled and Stroup singled twice.
The Blue Devils completed the two-day sweep with 10-5 and 14-2 wins over Maple Woods on Tuesday. Trailing 5-4 in the opener, the Blue Devils tied the game in the sixth on the second of two triples by Tyler Raymond, then went ahead on a 2-run double by Alex Thrower and a 2-run single by Tanner Foerschler. Stroup also drove in two runs with two doubles and a single while Thrower and Froeschler each had two hits.
The Blue Devils scored their last 12 runs – three in the third, four in the fourth and five in the fifth – with two out in the 14-2 win over Maple Woods.
“That’s pretty incredible,” said KCKCC coach Steve Burleson. Foerschler drove in six runs with a single, double and triple; Landon Mason hammered a 3-run home run; and Connor Behrens singled three times in a 14-hit attack. Thrower, whose on base percentage is over .500, scored four runs after being hit by pitches four times.
Alan Hoskins is the sports information director for KCKCC.