Cowley is hoping to regain its spot atop the conference and region standings

Three-time defending Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference East Division baseball champion Johnson County Community College has been picked to win a fourth-straight KJCCC East Division title in the annual KJCCC East Division baseball preseason order of finish as voted on by league head coaches.  

The Cavaliers picked up six of nine first-place votes and earned a total of 77 points to edge Cowley College, who was picked second with 71 points as neither Johnson County nor Cowley was picked to finish lower than third in the voting.

Kansas City Kansas Community College was picked to finish third and earned a total of 60 points with one first-place vote to finish ahead of Coffeyville Community College who was picked fourth with 53 points and the lone remaining first-place vote. Following the Red Ravens was Fort Scott who was picked fifth with 47 points total followed by Neosho County (38 points), Allen (29 points), Labette (21 points), and Highland (nine points).

Cowley returns three all-conference performers from last season's team. Sophomore Weston Thomas batted .308 with six home runs and 39 runs batted in as a freshman and was named a First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-Region selection. Third baseman Logan Smith (.324 average, eight home runs, 49 RBI) and outfielder Dax McCaskill (.369 average, 15 home runs, 66 RBI) also return to the team after being named Second Team all-conference selections as freshmen.

Other returning position players are outfielder Drake Fittro (.284 average, four home runs, 33 RBI), first baseman Quinn Groebl (.324 average, six home runs, 26 runs batted in), and catcher Creed Muirhead (.389 average, two home runs, 18 runs batted in).

"Creed has made a jump and is a solid everyday guy for us behind the plate," Cowley head coach Darren Burroughs said. "You always hope your sophomores are your best players. I like the combination of our team and the ability to score runs more than one way. I think we have a talented team. We are working to have them play correctly and fundamentally sound in a team concept while still excelling as an individual."

Cowley will attempt to make up for the loss of its top two starting pitchers from a season ago, Kyler Zagar (10-1, 2.77 ERA)and Russ Smith (8-1, 3.78 ERA), who are now pitching for NCAA Division 1 schools. They also lost honorable mention all-conference starting pitcher Tallen Bagwell (5-2, 4.37 ERA) and First Team all-conference closer Barrett Morgan (5-0, 0.42 ERA).

"We lost a lot of good arms, but feel good about the pitchers we have," Burroughs said.

Returning pitchers for the Tigers are right-handers Chance Acord (3-1, 3.58 ERA), Jack Hamm (4.41 ERA in 14 appearances), Lucas Weaver (3.22 ERA in 18 appearances), Cameron Mock (2-0, 3.38 ERA), and Ty Parker (4-2 in 11 appearances). Left-hander Keegan Robertson also returns to the team after going 4-2 as a freshman.

Weaver has signed early with Austin Peay, and Hamm has signed with Arkansas-Little Rock.

"If we can score runs, I feel good about our team," Burroughs said.

Keaton Humphrey from Overland Park, KS, and left-hander Isaac Worden from Edmond North (OK) High School are strike throwers who are expected to make an immediate impact.

Carter Rose is another right-handed pitcher from Overland Park, while Riley Lile, Hudsen Periman, Jake Hobbs, Evan Fleet, Grady Hoke, Stetson Etheridge, Landon Sterling, and Peyton Gosch, who pitched for former Major League baseball player Mike Pelfrey at Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School, will also be in the mix for time on the mound.  

Jace Patton, a transfer from North Central Texas College, could help the squad in the infield or on the mound. 

Backing up catcher Creed Muirhead are Drew Becker and Holden Groebl, who has signed with the University of Kansas.

Freshman Logan Rankin out of Little River will see some time at first base, while Josiah Sems will play shortstop and second base. Isaac King and Kyler Thiesen will also be in the mix for time in the infield, while Easton Green from Tuttle, OK, will battle for time in the outfield.

Hudson Roberts is a talented young player out of Missouri, and Wellington's Skyler Branam has a lot of tools.

"We found a lot of good young players that are talented, but need to catch up to the speed of the college game," Burroughs said. "We have good depth, but it's still about finding the right combinations."

Assisting those young players are young assistant coaches Brandon Lees and Gus Freeman.

"Those guys are energetic and relate well to the players," Burroughs said.

The Tiger coaching staff will attempt to help Cowley upend Johnson County and end the Cavaliers' string of three straight conference titles when they open the season on February 5 in Texas. The Tigers will play nine games in Texas before hosting Indian Hills (IA) in a four-game series.

"I think we have an opportunity to have a good team," Burroughs said. "We are excited to get underway in Texas. We want to go down there and keep improving. If we can do that, by the time the conference gets here, we should be ready to go."