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Cavaliers complete regular season and are ready for a postseason run
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Johnson County Community College
Press Release

College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Associate Vice President, Marketing Communications, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122

5/2/2008
Story by Tyler Cundith

Cavaliers complete regular season and are ready for a postseason run

Blankenship
Travis Blankenship
 
Dustin Holthaus
Dustin Holthaus
 
Doug Otto
Doug Otto
The Cavaliers recently competed an outstanding regular season. JCCC finished 35-15 in the 2008 regular season, and were an even more impressive 26-10 in the rugged East Jayhawk Conference, good for second place. This is the second straight season the Cavaliers finished runner-up in the conference standings. The team’s 35 wins tie the second-best season under Hall of Fame coach Kent Shelley, and a victory in the first round of the Region VI playoffs would give him 37, a career high.

The 2008 Cavaliers have a balanced attack. The offense is hitting 347 as a team, which is currently tied for fifth in school history under Shelley and ranks tied for 19th in the NJCAA. Leading the offense is sophomore Doug Otto who is hitting at a .435 clip (67-for-154) with 17 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 56 runs and 41 RBI. He leads the team is or tied for team lead in all those categories except RBI. His .435 average ranks 45th in the nation.

Other key hitters include freshman John Lenherr (.427), sophomore Parker Amos (.391) and sophomore Andy Chamberlain (.373). Lenherr is tied for team lead in hits (67) and tied for second in doubles (13) and RBI (38). Amos leads the team with 45 RBI, and is third in hits with 59 tied for second with 13 doubles. Sophomore Jeremy Francis has been swinging a hot bat of late, upping his average to .311.  He also is tied for seventh in the NJCAA with 33 stolen bases.  Otto also ranks among the top stolen base leaders at No. 28 with 25 swipes.

The Cavaliers also have a top-notch pitching staff in 2008. The team earned run average is 2.45, which currently is the best under a Shelley led team. The pitching staff led by its three aces, sophomore Travis Blankenship (8-3, 2.73), sophomore Dustin Holthaus (7-2, 2.71) and freshman Brandon Droge (6-2, 1.21). Droge currently has the 10th best ERA in the nation. Blankenship and Holthaus are climbing up JCCC’s all-time victory chart. Blankenship has 14 career wins, one shy of the record. Holthaus is one back with 13. Freshman Nick Holtgrieve (1.42), freshman Blake Gosch (2.58), sophomore Jake Smith (1.37) and freshman Drew Mikkelson (0.00) have provided key innings out of the pen.

The Cavaliers begin their quest to reach the World Series, when they host Cloud County Community College in a best-of-three series. The first game is Sunday, May 4, at 12:05 p.m. Cloud County is the No. 7 seed from the West Jayhawk Conference.

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For schedules, rosters, and other team information, go to JCCC's Athletics Web site:
http://www.jccc.edu/athletics