JCCC softball team earns third straight trip to nationals
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
5/4/09
Story by Tyler Cundith
JCCC softball team earns third straight trip to nationals
OVERLAND PARK, KS -- The Johnson County Community College softball team is returning to the national tournament for a third straight season after capturing the NJCAA Region VI/District E title Saturday in Wichita, Kan.
he Lady Cavaliers outscored their opponents 68-2 in the region tournament.
JCCC is now 33-11 overall and are riding in a 28 game win streak as they head into the national tournament. The NJCAA Division II National Tournament is May 14-16, in Normal, Ill.
"Overall the girls played well," said head coach Kelly Latendresse.
"Defensively we were strong, not allowing a single run in the three games on Saturday. Offensively all the girls were on this weekend. Some of them have been struggling at the plate, but they have worked hard over the last three weeks to fix some things, and it showed this weekend. I am very proud of all them and can not wait for nationals, and to see all the good things they will do in Normal."
The Lady Cavaliers began the tournament with 19-0 and 14-2 wins over Hesston on April 25. In Wichita on Saturday, May 2, JCCC opened with a 14-0 win over Labette, then followed with a 12-0 win over Allen County and a 10-0 win over Pratt in the championship game.
In the championship game against Pratt, freshman Lacey Dixon and sophomore Katie Ford combined for the shutout. Dixon pitched the first five innings, allowing only two hits with eight strikeouts. Ford did not allow a hit in her two innings of work and struck out four batters.
Freshman catcher Lindsay Swafford was solid behind the plate, but she changed the course of the game defensively when she threw out Pratt's shortstop trying to steal second from her knees. She went 3-for-5 with her bat as well in the game. She hit .474 (9-for-19) with a double and five RBI in the tournament.
"Lindsay has come so far from the fall as a catcher," said Latendresse.
"She does an amazing job with all three pitchers."
Sophomore Brittany Hess carried a big stick at the plate. Hess, who is batting .342 on the year and leads the team with 12 homers, had a single and a three-run home run against Pratt. Her homer came in the top of the fourth inning, and started a JCCC rally.
"Her home run was huge for the offensive mentality of the team in that game," Latendresse said. "Once she hit that, all our bats just came alive."
Hess hit .417 in the five postseason games and had three home runs and eight RBI.
Freshman Christi Clevenger and sophomore Lindsey Tuter also had key performance at the place against Pratt. Clevenger went 3-for-5 and Tuter was 2-for-5.
Clevenger hit an amazing .750 (15-for-20) in the region tournament, and led JCCC with 17 RBI. Tuter hit .632 (12-for-19) and had five RBI in the five games.
Other key performers in the tournament were; freshman Jordan Gadbois (.538,
3 doubles, home run, six RBI), Freshman Becca McCoy (.385, double, home run, four RBI), sophomore Brittany Rich (.467, double, 3 RBI), freshman Katie Bart (.400, 2 doubles, 4 RBI) and sophomore Jamin Landreth (0.58 ERA, 15 strikeouts, only 2 hits allowed).
http://www.jccc.edu/athletics