OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The No. 11-ranked Johnson County Community College softball team opened its 2019 season last week at the Cowtown Classic in Fort Worth, Texas, and came away with a 1-3 record, all against NJCAA Division I programs.
The Lady Cavaliers got off to a solid start to the campaign with a 4-1 victory over Ranger College, then followed with close 5-4 loss Vernon and an extra inning loss to Blinn 8-4. The second day of the tournament their game with Navarro College was canceled, but then JCCC closed out play with an 11-2 setback against Seminole State College.
Sophomores Kerrigan Dixon and Jordyn Clough led the team with a batting each hitting .500 over the four-game event. Dixon's four hits included a double and single and she drove in run. Clough had two singles, but also got on base with a walk and two hit by pitches.
Sophomore Kerry Murphy, and freshmen Emily Fox and sophomore Manny Johansen also collected four hits. Murphy hit four singles and led the team with four runs driven in. Fox and Johansen also hit four singles. Fox also drove in two runs.
Freshman Dez Duncan hit JCCC's first home run of the season, belting a solo shot in the 5-4 loss to Vernon in the second game of the Classic.
As a team, Johnson County batted .300 with seven doubles, a triple and home run.
In circle, Dixon logged most of the work, pitching 16.2 of the total 27 innings played. She was 1-1 with 12 strikeouts and had an ERA of 2.10.
Johnson County is scheduled to host Iowa Western Community College, ranked 20th in NJCAA Division I, on Sunday, March 3 at 1 and 3 p.m.