OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – To say that the No. 12-ranked Johnson County Community College dominated Labette Community College in their Kansas Jayhawk Conference opening series is a bit of an understatement. The Cavaliers outscored the Cardinals 67-to-7 highlighted by a 32-0 drubbing in the final game of the series. JCCC extended its win streak to 18 straight while improving its overall season record to 19-1.
Johnson County batters collected 67 hits in the four-game sweep, of which 27 went for extra bases, including 14 home runs.
The Cavalier pitching staff was just as impressive, striking out 44 batters in 26 innings.
In the series capping 32-0 win, the team and several individuals left lasting marks in the JCCC record books. It ranks as the largest shutout in program history, and the 32 runs tie the second-most scored in a game.
Freshman outfielder Nick Iannantone became just the third Cavaliers to hit for a cycle. He ripped two singles, a double, a triple and a home run. His five hits tie a single game record. Iannantone also drive in six runs scored four times.
Sophomore outfielder Garrett Wood, who was 4-of-6 in the game, tied the program record for runs scored in a game with five. He hit .583 (7-for-12) with eight runs and three driven in over the series.
On the bump, freshman left-hander CC Crain, sophomore right-hander Paul Rector and freshman left-hander Jay Long combined for a seven-inning no-hitter. Crain logged the first five innings, striking out 10 while only allowing two walks. Rector and Long each pitched one inning. Long struck out the side in his stint. He also struck out the side in an inning in a 10-0 win in game two after relieving starter Drew Garrett.
Garrett was masterful in his six innings of work. He recorded 15 strikeouts, tying the third-best game in team history. He did not allow a hit and walked just three, improving to 4-0 on the season. He also extended his no-hit streak to 18.1 innings. He has allowed just one hit this season and it came with one in the second inning of his season debut. His ERA is 0.00 and he has 50 strikeouts, most in the conference and eight-most in the NJCAA.
Sophomore Jon Moll allowed just one earned run and struck out eight in a complete-game win to up his season mark to 2-0.
Sophomore Brady Slavens, recipient of the past two Kansas Jayhawk Conference Player of the Week awards, made a case to make it three straight after batting .636 (7-for-11) with two doubles, four home run, seven runs scored and 15 RBIs against Labette. He has hit a home run in five straight games. For the season, Slavens is batting .516 and leads the conference and NJCAA with 12 home runs and 43 RBI.
Freshman catcher Nate Stevens his .533 (8-for-15) with two homers and six driven in, and freshman outfielder Jake Grauberger hit .500 (5-for-10) and belted home runs in each of the final three games. He hit a two-run shot in game two. A three-run blast in game three, and had a single and two dingers, drove in four and scored four times in the final game.
Other key hitting performances over the four-game series were turned by Brendan Ryan (.545, 6-11, 3-2B, 6-R, 3-RBI), Noah Steele (.500, 4-for-8), 1-HR, 3-R, 4-RBI), Jackson Galloway (.429, 6-for-14, 2-2B, 1-HR, 6-R, 8-RBI), Landen Wood (.357, 5-for-14, 1-2B, 6-R, 2-RBI) and Quinton Hall (.455, 5-for-11, 1-2B, 1-HR, 4-R, 1 –RBI).
Johnson County's next action is Tuesday, March 10, when they host State Fair Community College in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. They followed with a four-game conference series against Fort Scott Community College. The first two game are at Fort Scott on Thursday, March 12, and final two are scheduled for Saturday, March 14. First pitch is 1 p.m.