OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - For the 23rd time in program history, the Johnson County Community College softball team can call itself Region 6 champion.
The Cavaliers powered their way to the Region 6 Division II Tournament title Saturday afternoon, defeating Cowley 11-4 at JCCC Softball Field to punch their ticket to the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series. The championship is the sixth under head coach Aubree Brattin-Volkens.
JCCC wasted little time taking control of the title game.
Trailing 2-0 after the top of the first inning, the Cavaliers answered in emphatic fashion in the bottom half behind the bat of Reese Pattison. With the bases loaded, Pattison launched a grand slam to left field, giving Johnson County a 4-2 lead and igniting the home crowd.
Cowley chipped away with single runs in the second and third innings to pull within 4-3, but the Cavaliers broke the game open in the bottom of the third.
Katie Kolarik started the rally with a two-run homer to extend the lead to 6-3. Pattison struck again later in the inning, blasting a two-run homer — her second home run of the game — to cap a five-run frame and push the advantage to 9-3.
JCCC added two more runs in the fourth inning. Olivia Ellis delivered an RBI double and Katie Courter followed with an RBI triple to make it 11-4.
Pattison finished with a monster championship performance, going 2-for-3 with two home runs and six RBI. Kolarik drove in two runs, while Ellis, Reagan Neitzel, Alaryce Millard, Makenzie Yoder and Courter also contributed hits in the 10-hit attack.
After Cowley collected four runs on eight hits through the first three innings against starter Elsa Carrillo, Kyleigh Whitehurst took over in the circle and shut the door. Whitehurst tossed four scoreless innings, allowing just three hits to improve to 19-4 on the season.
Cowley finished with 11 hits in the contest, led by Taverli Tennant's two-run homer.
With the victory, the Cavaliers improved to 37-11 overall and secured the program's first trip to the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series since 2024.