North Central Missouri College baseball put up a valiant fight but ultimately fell short in a back-and-forth battle against Kansas City Kansas Community College, losing 10-8 at Burleigh Grimes Field on Tuesday. The loss drops NCMC's record to 17-5 overall.

The offense was firing early, with Javier Suarez leading the way at the top of the lineup, going 3-for-5 and scoring a run. Julio Guerrero contributed a hit and a walk while also swiping a base, keeping the pressure on the opposition.

Wilmer Jimenez and Jordi Ventura each drove in key runs to keep the Pirates within striking distance, while Eduardo Chourio had a strong performance, going 2-for-3 with an RBI double and a stolen base. Truman Bodenhausen provided a clutch pinch-hit RBI late in the game, helping to cut into the deficit. Chase Maddox and Luis Rivas each knocked in a run, with Rivas bringing home a crucial run on a sacrifice fly.

On the mound, Ethan Walker got the start but ran into trouble, allowing five runs over three innings while striking out five. Dylan McIntyre took the loss after allowing three runs in 2.1 innings of relief. Alex Smith and Ventura combined to hold the Blue Devils to just one more run over the final 3.2 innings, with Ventura delivering two shutout frames to give his team a chance.

Despite a strong offensive effort with 11 hits and 6 stolen bases, North Central Missouri couldn't quite overcome Kansas City Kansas' timely hitting. The Pirates will look to bounce back in their next outing, a home Region 16 series on Saturday and Sunday with Hesston College.