It was another banner year for the Kellogg Community College baseball team, which finished the season fifth in the nation last month at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II World Series in Enid, Oklahoma.
The Bruins this season brought home the conference championship, the regional championship – for the third consecutive year – and finished with a record 49 wins. The season also saw the team’s first-ever first-in-the-nation ranking, first No.1 seed in the NJCAA World Series and the crossing of the 700-win milestone marker by Head KCC Baseball Coach Eric Laskovy.
Additionally, eleven baseball players earned postseason Michigan Community College Athletic Association and/or NJCAA awards for their performance on the field this season, and Head KCC Baseball Coach Eric Laskovy again earned Coach of the Year honors.
Among this year’s honors are three NJCAA All-Americans, marking the first time in program history KCC has had the opportunity to celebrate three All-American award winners in a single season.
KCC’s full MCCAA and NJCAA postseason baseball award winners include:
- Sophomore outfielder Payton Bookwalter, of Edwardsburg, NJCAA Region XII Division II All-Region Team, All-MCCAA Team, MCCAA Western Conference First Team
- Sophomore infielder/pitcher Gavin Engelsman, of Rockford, MCCAA Western Conference Second Team
- Sophomore pitcher Ty Jenkins, of Sterling Heights, MCCAA Western Conference Honorable Mention
- Sophomore pitcher Caleb Kidd, of Trenton, MCCAA Western Conference Honorable Mention
- Sophomore outfielder/pitcher Jake Kucharczyk, of Battle Creek, MCCAA Western Conference Second Team
- Sophomore catcher Zach Kucharczyk, of Battle Creek, NJCAA Division II First Team All-American, NJCAA Region XII Division II All-Region Team, NJCAA Region XII Division II/Great Lakes District Championship All-Tournament Team, All-MCCAA Team, MCCAA Western Conference First Team
- Sophomore pitcher Joshua Midbo, of Chesterfield, NJCAA Division II Second Team All-American, NJCAA Region XII Division II All-Region Team, All-MCCAA Team, MCCAA Western Conference First Team
- Sophomore infielder Tylor Morehouse, of Taylor, All-MCCAA Team, MCCAA Western Conference First Team
- Freshman catcher Cayden Nieto, of Midland, NJCAA Region XII Division II/Great Lakes District Championship All-Tournament Team
- Sophomore infielder Tanner Olepa, of Canton, NJCAA Region XII Division II/Great Lakes District Most Valuable Player, NJCAA Region XII Division II/Great Lakes District Championship All-Tournament Team
- Sophomore first baseman/pitcher Jake Stickler, of Allen Park, NJCAA Division II Second Team All-American, NJCAA Region XII Division II All-Region Team, NJCAA Region XII Division II/Great Lakes District Championship All-Tournament Team, All-MCCAA Team, MCCAA Western Conference Player of the Year, MCCAA Western Conference First Team
Additionally, Coach Laskovy won his 13th MCCAA Western Conference Coach of the Year honor.
The Bruins wound up with a conference record of 24-1 and an overall record of 49-8, marking the 18th straight season of more than 30 wins and third year in a row with at least 40.
For more information about KCC’s baseball team, including a full roster, stats and more, visit kelloggbruins.com/sports/bsb.
Head KCC Baseball Coach Eric Laskovy can be reached at laskovye@kellogg.edu or 269-965-3931 ext. 2536.
For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at https://daily.kellogg.edu/category/news-releases.
