OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Johnson County Community College softball team cleared their first hurdle in qualifying for the NJCAA D-II Softball National Tournament by sweeping Kansas City Kansas Community College Saturday in the first round of the Region VI playoffs. The Lady Cavaliers won the first game 8-0 in five innings, the secured the sweep with a walk off 6-5 win in the second game. 

Sophomore right fielder Sammi Bates had a big series, going 6-for-6 with two doubles, a home run, four runs scored and three driven in. Her big weekend upped her season batting average to .553, fifth-best in the NJCAA.  Her sixth hit in the series sent sophomore Shay Tolbert home for the walk off win in game two. 

Freshman DP Kerry Murphy also swung a hot bat in the series. In the first game, she had a single and a double and drove in two runs. In the second game, she was 3-for-4 with a run and RBI. 

In the circle, sophomore pitcher Halle Brin picked up two both wins. In the opening game, Brin pitched a one-hit shutout over five innings and struck out nine batters. She came into the second game in relief and pitched the final 2.2 innings and got the win. She allowed just two hits, an unearned run and struck out three batters. 

Johnson County (26-14) moves on to face Murray State College (34-10) Saturday, May 5 at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka, Kan. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.