OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The 2018 season for the Johnson County Community College baseball team came to an end after Hutchinson County Community College rallied for 12-11 victory at the Region VI Tournament on Sunday night at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita, Kan. The Cavaliers end the campaign with a 38-23 overall record.
The Cavalier built a 9-2 lead after four innings, but the Dragons whittle away at that deficit with two runs in the fifth, three in the sixth, one in the seventh and took the lead for good by plating four runs in the eighth. Johnson County scored single runs in their half of the eighth and ninth innings but fell one run short. JCCC outhit Hutchinson 19 to 12.
Sophomore and team MVP Ty Herrenbruck was 4-for-6 with four RBI, three off his home run in the first inning. Freshman center fielder Jacob Owens had three hits, including a double and triple, and drove in three runners.
Johnson County was sent to loser's side of the bracket in the opening round, falling 8-0 to Barton Community College, the eventual champion of the tournament. The Cavaliers powerful offense was held to just five singles.
JCCC stayed alive with an 8-5 win over Colby Community College and a 10-6 win over Kansas City Kansas Community College, ending both teams' seasons.
In the win over Colby, sophomore outfielder Chaz Burgess gave JCCC a nice cushion in the top of the first with a grand slam blast over the center field wall. Sophomore outfielder Brian Sullivan single through the right side to drive in two insurance runs in the top the ninth.
Sophomore right-hander Brad Kincaid pitched seven solid innings. He allowed four runs off four hits and struck out eight batters. Sophomore lefty Daonte Lowery pitched the final two innings to earn the save.
Burgess had the hot bat again in the win over KCKCC. He was 4-for-5 with a double, home run and five driven in. He batted .400 (12-for-30) in the postseason, with three doubles, two homers, eight runs and 13 driven in.
Herrenbruck, freshman first baseman Malik Williams and sophomore catcher Jake Karst each drove in two runs apiece.
Freshman left-hander John Short picked up the victory. He pitched six innings, and allowed four runs off seven hits with six strikeouts.