Baseball Swept by KCKCC in Non-Conference Series

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Colby baseball hit the road for a non-conference matchup against Kansas City Kansas, but came away empty-handed, dropping all four games in the weekend series. Despite flashes of strong pitching and moments of offensive production, the Trojans were unable to string together complete performances.

Game 1

Colby opened its four-game set on the road with a 7-2 loss to Kansas City Kansas on Friday (April 24).

KCKCC struck first in the bottom of the second inning when Trevor McGraw launched a two-run home run to left field, giving the Blue Devils an early advantage. The Trojans answered in the top of the third behind a big swing from Charlie Langford. The sophomore homered to left, driving in two runs to even the score at 2-2.

The tie was short-lived, however, as KCKCC responded with a three-run third inning. Ian Woita delivered an RBI single, Braden Horn added a run on a groundout, and Reid Oakley followed with an RBI double to push the lead to 5-2. The Blue Devils added two more runs in the fourth to extend their advantage.

Rory MacDonald took the loss on the mound for Colby, allowing seven runs (five earned) on nine hits over four innings while striking out three. Trey Schroeder provided two scoreless innings of relief, allowing no hits and striking out one.

Langford led the Trojans offensively, going 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs. Jake Brooks added a hit and scored a run, while Chase Kessler and Callum Thomson also contributed base hits.

As a team, Colby finished with six hits but struggled to capitalize, leaving 11 runners on base. KCKCC totaled nine hits in the game, with McGraw, Owen Musil, and Oakley each recording two hits. McGraw led all hitters with two RBIs.

Game 2

Colby then came up short in a tightly contested second game of the doubleheader, falling 4-2 to Kansas City Kansas despite matching the Blue Devils with five hits.

KCKCC took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, capitalizing on a Colby error to push across the game's opening run. The Trojans answered in the second, as Ty Shapton delivered an RBI single down the left field line to even the score at 1-1.

The game turned in the bottom of the third inning when Ian Woita provided the decisive swing. The KCKCC cleanup hitter launched a three-run home run to right field, giving the Blue Devils a 4-1 advantage they would not relinquish. Colby added its final run in the sixth inning on an RBI from Jacob Mraz, but couldn't complete the comeback.

Ty Shapton led the Trojans at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Mraz also drove in a run, while Caden Clifford, Anthony Deblois, and Jake Brooks each recorded a hit. Colby showed patience on the bases as well, with stolen bases from Matthew Kesting and Brooks.

On the mound, Isaiah Sadorus took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits over four innings while striking out two. Brody Torkelson provided solid relief, tossing two innings and allowing just one hit and no runs.

KCKCC was led by Woita, who went 3-for-3 with four RBIs, accounting for all of the Blue Devils' offense. Dylan Blazer earned the win, striking out seven over six innings, while Tyler Parr closed the door in the seventh.

Game 3

Colby delivered one of its strongest pitching performances of the season, but couldn't find timely hitting in a 2-0 loss to Kansas City Kansas on Saturday (April 15). Despite out-hitting KCKCC 7-2, the Trojans were unable to push a run across, leaving 15 runners on base in the shutout defeat.

Both pitching staffs controlled the game early. Anthony Deblois set the tone for Colby, tossing three hitless innings while striking out five. The right-hander worked around two walks to keep KCKCC off the scoreboard.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Sawyer Tolk delivered an RBI single to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead. KCKCC added an insurance run in the sixth to extend the margin to 2-0.

Carter Graham took the loss in relief, allowing two runs (one earned) over three innings while striking out two. Colby had opportunities throughout but couldn't capitalize. Matt Murray and Turner Zdunich each collected two hits to lead the offense, while Matthew Kesting, Charlie Langford, and Jacob Mraz added hits of their own.

KCKCC managed just two hits on the day, but made them count. Tolk drove in the go-ahead run and was active on the bases with two stolen bases, part of three total steals for the Blue Devils.

Colby's pitching staff combined for seven strikeouts and allowed just one earned run, but defensive miscues and missed opportunities at the plate proved costly.

Game 4

Kansas City Kansas used an early offensive surge to complete the four-game sweep of Colby, defeating the Trojans 7-0.

The Blue Devils broke the game open in the bottom of the second inning, plating four runs. Colton Kirkham delivered the big blow with a three-run home run to center field, and Holden Finley followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-0.

KCKCC added to its advantage in the fourth inning when Trevor McGraw launched a two-run home run to left field, pushing the margin to 6-0. The Blue Devils tacked on one more run in the sixth on a solo homer to close out the scoring.

Tommy Mann took the loss for Colby, allowing six runs on five hits over three innings. Gabe Fournier provided solid relief, tossing two scoreless innings while striking out four, and Jake Lentz added an inning out of the bullpen.

Offensively, the Trojans were limited to four hits but saw multi-hit efforts from Isaiah Sadorus and Matthew Kesting, who each went 2-for-4. Colby showed discipline at the plate with three walks and was active on the bases with steals from Kesting and Sadorus, but couldn't break through for a run.

KCKCC finished with seven hits, led by McGraw's 3-for-3 performance with two RBIs. Kirkham drove in three runs on his home run, while the Blue Devils also applied pressure on the bases with four stolen bases.

The Trojans will look to regroup and turn the page quickly as they return home for their final non-conference game on Monday (April 27), before hosting a crucial four-game conference series later in the week. Colby will welcome Dodge City on Wednesday (April 29) as they aim to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.