OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Johnson County Community College baseball is back among the best.
"We've always had the talent, but I don't think we've had this much talent in a long time," said JCCC baseball head coach Eric Horner.
For the third season in a row, and fifth all-time, the Cavaliers have advanced to the NJCAA DI World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.
"We know what we need to do," said outfielder Jake McClure. "We need to go out there and trust the work we've put in and win every pitch. Being there last year, we kind of know what to expect."
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The team returns the core from last year's group that reached the World Series. The players say they learned many hard lessons during last year's run.
"Whatever you think it's going to be like, it's way more intense," said Josiah Golden, a pitcher on the team. "It's way more energy. It's more than you could imagine."
Horner said he knows the team is trying to do better than they have in the past
One thing this year's team has figured out is how to win. Since the end of March, the Cavs have lost just one game and won 26 of their last 27 outings.
"We're clicking on all cylinders," said outfielder Bo Shinkle. "The bats have really come alive these past two months, and the pitching staff has really stepped up."
That combination of power and pitching has the Cavs hoping they leave Colorado with a championship.
"We get a shot, and that's all you can really ask for this late," Horner said.
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