Pratt, Kan. - The Pratt Community College baseball team is opening conference play by hosting Cloud County Community College on Thursday, Mar. 6 for a four-game series. The first two games will take place at Stanion Field here in Pratt, Kan. with games three and four taking place on Saturday, Mar. 8 in Concordia, KS.
The Beavers enter the series with an overall record of 3-13 with wins coming against Allen County Community College and Fort Scott Community College. Due to the weather, the two game series against McPherson College (JV) and Kansas Wesleyan University (JV) were postponed.
"It does not help when you do get the weather we did. We did not get a chance to prepare as much as we needed to before series, games, and schedules and all that kind of stuff," said head baseball coach Todd Reller. "I think the biggest thing our guys learned is just what it is going to take to compete at a high level in this conference. That is why we play the non-conference schedule we do as all those opponents play styles are like what we are going to play in our division, and it is a good preparation for what we are going to get thrown at us during conference play.
The T-Birds of Cloud County Community College enters conference play with a 9-5 record with wins against McCook Community College, Kansas Wesleyan University (JV), Seminole State College, Marshalltown Community College and most recently the No. one ranked Weatherford College. As a team, the T-Birds are hitting .294 with 12 homeruns. On the mound the pitching staff is throwing a combined 4.32 ERA.
"They are always a well-coached team. Coach Gillen gets them ready to go as well as anybody ever since he has taken over there," said coach Reller. "They are one of the best teams in our division. They are going to pitch it well with some high, high stuff guys and some difficult matchups for us. And they do a great job on offense too. They make you compete; they make you earn it. They do not make a lot of mistakes. They are just a very well coached team in all three phases, and they are going to challenge us to play well in all three phases as well."