OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The No. 9-ranked Johnson County baseball team extended its current win streak to 11 straight by taking both games of a doubleheader against Dodge City Thursday afternoon. The Cavaliers opened with an 8-5 victory followed by an 18-2 blowout.
In the opener, the bottom of the lineup helped the Cavaliers capture the 8-5 victory over the Conquistadors. Ryker Edwards, Chris Mancinas and Carter Kelley, JCCC's 7-8-9 hitters, combined for five of the team's 10 hits, and scored five of their eight runs.
Edwards was 2-for-3 with a double and solo home run and scored twice. Mancinas singled and scored, and Kelley had two hits, scored twice and drove in one run.
The top of the order also played a key role in the win as well. Leadoff hitter Jake McClure was 3-for-4 with a run and RBI. Number two hitter Bo Shinkle walked twice, scored a run and drove in one and cleanup hitter Jeremy Comer ripped an RBI triple and scored.
Sam Novotny, the reigning KJCCC East Pitcher of the Week, started on the mound for the Cavaliers. The sophomore right-hander allowed four hits and two runs over four innings and struck out three batters. Luke Fricker, Cooper Westra and Keston Holman each appearance in relief for Johnson County. Holman was credited with a save, his sixth of the season which leads the conference and is tied for second in the NJCAA.
The second game the Cavaliers pounded out 17 hits, including four home runs, to plate 18 runs over six innings.
Comer singled home a run in the bottom of the first for an early 1-0 lead.
Dodge City tied the game in the top of the second, but JCCC took back the lead for good in the third with an RBI single from Max Towchik and two-run homer from Boston Bruce.
The Cavaliers added four more in the fourth off a fielder's choice bunt by McClure, a two-run double by Shinkle and a sacrifice fly by Towchik.
Johnson County broke the game open plating eight runs in the sixth thanks to home runs by Brigg Roe, Mancinas and Drew Veatch.
Edwards led JCCC with three hits four plate appearances, with doubles, three runs and one RBI. McClure, Shinkle, Comer, Mancinas and Roe each collected multiple hits, and Towchik, Comer, Bruce, Mancinans and Roe each drove in a pair of runs.
Right-hander Josiah Golden got the start and picked up the victory. He allowed two runs off seven hits and struck out four to up his record to 8-2 and 18-3 over his career.
Ashton Hartwig tossed one and one third innings of no-hit relief and Hudson Bryd came for the final two-thirds of an inning.
Johnson Count ywill host its final non-conference series against Baker University JV on Saturday, April 19 with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.