The Kansas City Kansas Community College baseball team is advancing to the second round of the Region VI Playoffs after upsetting (3) Cloud County Community College 8-5 in a thrilling showdown May 13 in Salina, Kan. The (6) seeded Blue Devils launched four home runs and delivered five clutch runs in the final innings to seal the win.

Braden Horn led the charge for KCKCC, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and a team-high three RBIs. He opened the scoring in the second inning with a solo blast over the left-field fence. Cloud County quickly responded in the bottom half with an RBI double to tie the game.

In the fifth, Marcus Dierks executed a perfectly placed bunt with the bases loaded and one out, allowing Carter Towns to score. Though the Blue Devils only managed one run that inning, the Thunderbirds answered again in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice groundout to even the score.

KCKCC retook the lead in the sixth inning when Freddie Nolen IV belted a solo homer to left field, making it 3-2. The Blue Devils extended their lead in the eighth when Ian Woita singled to bring in Dierks, aided by a throwing error from the Cloud County shortstop. Horn followed with his second homer of the day. A two-run shot to left-center field, pushing the lead to 6-2.

Cloud County narrowed the gap with a run in the bottom of the eighth, but Tanner Pachorek, who had been hitless, delivered a crucial two-run home run in the top of the ninth to give KCKCC an 8-3 cushion. The Thunderbirds rallied with two runs in the bottom of the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate, but Carter Beach shut the door with a strikeout to secure the victory.

Caleb Reed started on the mound for the Blue Devils, throwing six solid innings and allowing just two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four of the 25 batters he faced. Dylan Blazer pitched the next 2.1 innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits, including a home run. Beach came in to record the final two outs, both by strikeout, to earn the save.

KCKCC now advances to face (2) Johnson County Community College at 4 p.m. May 14 in the second round of the Region VI DI Baseball Postseason Tournament. Both teams remain undefeated in the double-elimination format.