OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The No. 8-ranked Johnson County baseball team not only won its first series of this young 2024 season, but they also picked up its first series sweep, winning the final two games on Monday afternoon, 14-0 and 8-4. JCCC opened the four-game series on Sunday with wins of 12-3 and 10-1.
In the opener on Monday, the Cavaliers plated seven runs in the bottom of the second inning then cruised to the 14-0 shutout.
As a team JCCC ripped 13 hits including three doubles and three triples and the pitching staff combined to strikeout nine Spartans while holding them to three hits.
Sophomore Jordan Black recorded one the triples, along with a single, to drive in three runs and sophomore Dagen Brewer pounded out a single, a double, scored twice and drove in two.
Sophomore Kyle Hepburn also picked up two hits with an RBI and freshman Matt Lemke picked up his first collegiate hit and extra base hit.
Sophomore right-hand pitcher Maddox Burkitt picked up his first victory of the season, scattering three hits with five strikeouts over four innings of work. Freshman right-hander Sam Novotny picked two hitless innings with three strikeouts and sophomore lefty Michael Infranca pitched a perfect final inning with one strikeout.
In the second game, Brewer blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs to take JCCC from a one run lead to a four run advantage heading into the top of the ninth. It was his team leading third home run of the season. Brewer also had a single in the game for his team leading seventh multiple-hit game this season. He also leads the team with six multi-RBI games.
Sophomore Jesse Tisdell picked up single, walked twice and drove in two runs, and Black, Hepburn and freshman Miken Miller each collected two hits. One of Miller's was a solo home run, his first of his career.
Freshman right-hand pitcher Josiah Golden got the start. He allowed four runs off five hits with five strikeouts in three innings pitched.
Sophomore righty John Chambers hurled the finals six innings, scattering five hits with no runs while strikeout seven Spartans to pick up the victory.
Johnson County is scheduled to host a four-game series this weekend against Moberly Area Community College. First pitch both Saturday and Sunday is at 1 p.m.