Kellogg Community College’s baseball team is headed into conference play this month looking to make some heads turn, coming off a four-game sweep against crosstown rivals Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
The Bruins’ conference season started in late March by taking on Lake Michigan College, Glen Oaks Community College and Lansing Community College. The Bruins started off hot by winning nine straight games, winning by run rule in seven of the nine games. The streak was cut short before double digits by rivals Lansing.
The game was a heavily watched one with the Stars coming in as the fifth-ranked team in the nation, while the Bruins were at a firm 12th. After the tough loss, first baseman/ pitcher Donnie Thompson said, “It isn’t the outcome we wanted in this first game. Luckily we have four more times to play them before playoffs. We will get them sooner or later.”
The Bruins are determined to set the record straight on who is the best junior college in Michigan.
Bouncing back from the tough loss to LCC was a must for the Bruins. Starting pitcher Sam Bassett-Kennedy had this to say after the four-game sweep last week against KVCC: “It was the bounce back we needed. Lansing kinda left a sour taste in our mouths. In a way that game is our motivation to not let that happen again. These games against other teams are just getting us ready to see Lansing again.”
The Bruins next game is Tuesday, April 11, against Ivy Tech Community College. The Bruins will face them for a second time this year. KCC already took the first game of the series and are hoping to take one more.
“It’s a moving week. It is a great week to be great. We got a challenging game ahead of us and another big series coming up. This series is just another stepping stone to where our team goal is,” said KCC infielder Brett Stanley after team practice on Friday afternoon.
The Bruins then take on Ancilla College Thursday at Ancilla. The team then heads back home to finish the series against Ancilla Saturday, April 15, in Battle Creek. The doubleheader will be held at C.O. Brown Stadium with the first of two starts at 2 p.m. and the later start at 4:30 p.m.
Anyone is free to attend the games with free admission.
Bruin fans wanting to show their support for the team can head to kelloggbruins.com to find game times and locations for all games, as well as rosters, stats and more. All home games will be held at C.O. Brown Stadium.
