Editor’s note: This article was written prior to the baseball team’s recent regional championship win and tie for fifth-place in the nation at the NJCAA World Series. For the latest info about the KCC baseball team, visit kelloggbruins.com/sports/bsb/index.
The Kellogg Community College baseball team has proven why it’s one of the best programs in the National Junior College Athletic Association. With a 33-12 record and a second-place ranking in a very competitive conference, the Bruins not only maintained their winning tradition but did so with one of their youngest rosters in recent years.
This season marks the 17th consecutive season that KCC has posted 30 or more wins, a reflection on the program’s stability and its high level of excellence. Yet this season is especially special due to the roster’s youth content — 19 freshmen and 13 sophomores — a dynamic potentially worrying for other teams but only serving to represent the Bruins’ identity.
“Our team is definitely a more freshman-dominated team and they’ve taken in our lifestyle quite well,” sophomore player Jackson Haywood said. “As you guys can probably tell, the Kucharczyk twins have been having a great season this year with Payton Bookwalter, Danny Calhoun, Jake Stickler and Tanner Olepa. I’ve had a blast playing with these guys and am going to be making the most out of this upcoming week.”
KCC’s ability to reload, not rebuild, has placed them in their 19th consecutive appearance in the NJCAA Region 12 Tournament. Not just on-field ability is what Head Coach Eric Laskovy attributes to this continued success.
“These are very much like some of the teams we’ve had in the past,” Laskovy said. “They’ve worked hard and been successful in the classroom, in the community and on the field. Part of the reason this team is so successful is that they’re together and have a desire to get better on and off the field. We’re proud of this group and hope to have a good playoff run.”
The Bruins’ preseason aspirations were ambitious: have a 3.3 team GPA (already accomplished through the fall), win the conference, make the regional tournament and then make a deep run at the NJCAA World Series. With playoffs beginning Thursday, KCC is prepared to tick that final box off.
For Haywood, there is one win that rises above the others.
“Beat Eunice,” he said firmly. “I told them at the beginning of the fall that we will go to Louisiana and beat a team that we have fought hard with for years. Most were skeptical at first, but the constant mention that Eunice can be beaten helped to bring out our identity as a team. Just full faith in whatever work is to be done.”
Chemistry, friendship and a firm set of principles have been the trademarks of KCC’s winning program. And those values were extended to the freshmen squad, who’ve truly stepped up to the plate. Freshman player Jake Kucharczyk took full advantage of his first year wearing a Bruins jersey.
“It being my first year, it has been really good, a lot of fun and just what I thought it would be like,” Kucharczyk said. “This team is different from other teams that I have played on because it is much more competitive. You are playing against and with people who care a lot about the sport, so it makes it a lot more fun.”
The shared intensity and passion of the players have cultivated a special atmosphere that is translated directly into their performance.
“Team chemistry is actually pretty solid and makes us a more talented team since we are just really close and spend time with one another outside of baseball,” he said. “What I have learned from KCC baseball is grit and determination. Three things: number one, enjoy yourself; two, be best on the field; and number three, work harder than anyone.”
That mixture of work and enjoyment in the game is what sets KCC apart. Haywood echoed similarly when explaining what makes Bruins baseball successful and enjoyable.
“The team,” he said. “Everybody keeps it all tied in with each other so everyone is involved. Our chemistry is great when everybody makes sure they are playing free and with our smile,” Haywood said.
As the playoffs are near, the Bruins are well-positioned to make another statement. Being second in the conference has them very well seeded entering the Region 12 Tournament. Provided history repeats, this team has what it takes not only to make a game of it, but to win.
Coach Laskovy and his staff remain optimistic, not only for wins but for success in the classroom and as individuals. And with this young, hungry roster, the future of KCC baseball has never been brighter.
Whether it’s sophomore leadership from Haywood, the hunger and passion of freshmen like Kucharczyk, or the experience of a seasoned coaching staff, one thing is certain: The Bruins have built a culture that doesn’t just chase success — it sustains it.
Now, with the playoffs coming up, KCC baseball is ready to take it to the next level. One pitch at a time.
