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

2/18/09
Story by Tyler Cundith

Cavaliers open season with win over No. 15 Longview

OVERLAND PARK, KS -- The Johnson County Community College baseball team, ranked ninth in the NJCAA D-I Preseason Poll, opened its 2009 campaign with a win against cross town rival Longview Community Colllege, ranked 15th in D-II, on Monday, Feb. 17.  The victory also was a milestone win for Hall of Fame coach Kent Shelley.   It was win number 600 in his 22-year career at JCCC.

The Cavaliers scored early and often against the Longview Lakers to take a 14-3 road win on opening day.  JCCC pounded out 18 hits, and 15 of the 18 players who got at bats recorded at least one hit.  Sam Stucky, Davis Morgan, JP LaMunyon, and Nate Thomas all had two hits on the day, while David Drahozal collected three.

On the mound, the Cavaliers started All-American ace Brandon Droge.  He went four innings and gave up only two earned runs, to collect his first win of the season.  Gage Daniels pitched two scoreless innings, going six up and six down in his debut.  Ben Runyon pitched around the only error on the day for the Cavaliers to record a scoreless inning.  Gil Rehwinkel came in with the bases loaded and one out in his first appearance to toss a gem.

Rehwinkel struck out the first batter he faced, then got the Lakers hottest hitter to fly out to right field, to get JCCC out of a tough jam.