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

4/16/2008
Story by Tyler Cundith

Cavaliers bats come alive in sweep of Labette

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. --  The Johnson County Community College baseball team took advantage of 30 mph wind gusts to left field yesterday, and collected 21 hits, four home runs, five doubles and scored 27 runs  to sweep Labette Community College in an East Jayhawk Conference match up. JCCC won the first game 12-4, and completed the sweep with a 15-5 victory. The two wins upped JCCC’s season record to 23-13.

In the opener, JCCC fell behind early 2-1, but the Cavaliers exploded for five runs in the bottom half of the third inning, all with two outs. The offense continued to add to its lead with three runs in the fifth and sixth innings. 
 
Sophomore Doug Otto  went 3-for-4, with a double and home run. Freshmen Nate Thomas and Drew Garwood each collected two hits and drove in three runs. Sophomore Dustin Holthouse picked up his sixth victory of the season, scattering six hits over six innings of work.

The second game was all JCCC for the get go. Nine Cavaliers crossed home plate in the first innings, four coming on sophomore Andy Chamberlain’s grand slam home run.  JCCC added five more runs in the third and one in the fifth to give them a run rule victory. 

Freshman John Lenherr went 4-for-4, and freshman Parker Amos was a perfect 2-for-2 with a home run in the second game victory. As a team, the Cavaliers scored 15 runs on 12 hits.

Freshman right-hander Ryan Garman  scattered four hits in his four innings of work to earn his third win in 2008. Sophomore closer Jake Smith pitched a scoreless fifth inning. 
  
“Our guys have been very focused the last four games and it has shown in the way we are playing,”  said head coach Kent Shelley. “Today was a hitter’s park and we took advantage of it. We put up some good swings on the ball and stuck with our plan at the plate. Anytime you can score 27 runs in two games you have to be pleased. But our pitching staff was outstanding as well. Holding any team to in this wind to 10 hits in 12 innings is a great job. They kept the ball down and mixed their pitches well.”

The Cavaliers are currently in second place the East Jayhawk Conference race, and only two games out of first place. JCCC will continue conference play Thursday, April 18, with a double header at Coffeyville.