The Pratt Community College (PCC) baseball team kicks off Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCC) play tomorrow, March 12 against Barton Community College (BCC).
The Beavers have compiled a 12-6 record to start their season with wins against Allen County, Tabor College, NOC-Tonkawa, Northwest Oklahoma State (JV) and Highland. Most recently, the Beavers lost two games to the #14 ranked Eastern Oklahoma State University (EOSU) on Monday, March 7th.
"We are playing really clean baseball," said Head Coach Todd Reller. "We are pitching it really well, attacking the strike zone better then we every have before, and playing really good defensive."
Back on January 27th, the Beavers were projected to finish ninth in the KJCC West this season. Colby, Barton, and Hutchinson are projected in the top three in the west. The Beavers main goal this season is to improve and make it into the Region VI tournament. Their last appearance came in 2019.
"The biggest thing is taking care of our business," said Coach Reller. "If we continue playing the type of baseball we have been playing to this point I think it will give us an opportunity to go out there and win a lot of games."
Sophomores Cason Long and Mitchell Smith have both had a tremendous start to the spring. Long is averaging a .358 batting average and has 19 hits for 12 runs and 17 RBIs. On the mound, Long currently has 3 wins and averages 10.8 strikeouts per game. Smith has 33 hits for 16 runs and 32 RBIs. He also has 33 put outs in the field.
"Those two have been outstanding," said Head Coach Reller. "Cason is dominant on the mound right now and has made a huge jump from last season. Mitchell Smith may have made the biggest jump from last season as he keeps taking good swings and is outstanding with what he is doing at the plate."