Johnson County Community College
Press Release

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

5/13/2008
Story by Tyler Cundith

Cavaliers reach championship game

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. --  The Johnson County Community College baseball team’s new slogan for 2008 is “Win and you’re in”. The Cavaliers have advanced to the championship game of the NJCAA Region Tournament at Lawrence Dumont Stadium in Wichita, Kan., by  posting  a come-from-behind 7-6 victory over Cowley College in the semifinal round, yesterday. JCCC will play the winner of the Kansas City Kansas/Cowley game tonight at 7 p.m.,  for the opportunity to represent Region VI in the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colo., May 24-31. The Cavaliers, 40-15 this season, have never qualified for the World Series.

JCCC earned the spot in the title game by scoring three runs in the top of the ninth, then sophomore reliever Jake Smith came in the slammed the door with two strikeouts and a fly out to center field to end the game.

Offensively the Cavaliers were led by freshman Parker Amos, a Shawnee Mission Northwest graduate. Amos was 4-for-5 on the evening, but his biggest hit came in the top of the ninth.

Trailing by two runs, JCCC got their rally going when sophomore Mitchell Mathis led off with a single past the Tiger’s shortstop. Freshman Drew House was inserted to pinch run for Mathis. After a JCCC strikeout, team MVP Doug Otto singled to right field, and House moved on to third. Otto then stole second, setting the stage for Amos, who ripped his fourth single to center field, to driving in two runs to the game at 6-6.
 
The Cavaliers got the go-ahead run later in the inning when sophomore Jeremy Francis scored from third following a wild pitch by Cowley’s Connor Farris. Francis earlier reached base on a fielding error by the Tiger’s third baseman, then stole third base to get into scoring position.

Other key batters for JCCC were freshman John Lenherr who went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, and Otto who had a single and an RBI.

Sophomore right-hander Dustin Holthaus got the start, pitching four innings. He allowed four runs on 11 hits and three strikeouts. Freshman right-hander Black Gosch allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings before giving the mound to Smith.

The victory is the 40th for JCCC this season, marking the sixth time a JCCC team has reached that plateau, but the first for head coach Kent Shelley. The veteran coach also upped his career win total to 598 in 21 seasons.

View the box score.