05/11/07
Written by Tyler Cundith

JCCC wins softball region title, advances to nationals

Overland Park, KS -- The Johnson County Community College softball team downed rival Cowley College 4-0 to win the 2007 Region VI Softball Championship in Wichita, Kan., yesterday.  The victory advances the team to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Normal, Ill, May 17-19. This is JCCC's 13th appearance in the national tournament, but its first since 2003.

In the title game, the offense was powered by Jill Peters' solo home run in the fourth inning and Aubree Brattin's two-run shot in the sixth.  Emily Dye earned the shutout, allowing just four hits with four strikeouts.

JCCC advanced to the championship game earlier in the day by defeating Cowley, 6-4. JCCC trailed 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, but rallied for the win on a solo home run by Ashley Scates and a two-run walk-off homer by Katie Mathis.  Overall, JCCC hit eight home runs in the four games of the tournament.  Cowley earned its shot in the title game by downing Hutchinson in the loser's bracket after their loss to JCCC.

JCCC, ranked seventh in the NJCAA, takes a 41-12 record into the national tournament.