After being ‘on the outside looking in’, Kellogg CC heading back to World Series again

BATTLE CREEK – Back-to-back World Series appearances. The 10th trip to the national championship tournament overall for the program.

Eric Laskovy wasn’t sure this season was the year his program would be hitting those magical milestones.

But Kellogg Community College continues to show why it is one of the top junior college baseball programs in the country as the Bruins are heading back to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II World Series once again.

KCC qualified for the national championships by winning the NJCAA Region XII tournament for the second straight season, earning the title over the weekend.

The 2025 NJCAA Division II World Series will open in Enid, Oklahoma on May 24. KCC will start the tournament with a 38-13 record.

As the head coach, Laskovy has some concerns about his club due to youth and some bumps on the road during the regular season. But, when it came to time to clinch a trip to Enid, Oklahoma and the home of the NJCAA World Series, KCC came through once again.

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“Last year, we were an older team. We were a much younger team this year. The hope was to go back-to-back to the World Series, but at one point this year, we were on the outside looking in, just to get to to the playoffs,” Laskovy said. “But, that’s what makes our coaching staff so proud. These guys kept at it, kept working. To see in culminate in a regional championship and a trip to the World Series, is very gratifying for all of us.”

Kellogg is making its 10th trip to the NJCAA World Series. It is the first time the program will be going in back-to-back years. The Bruins also went in 2019 and 2021, which was back-to-back championship tournaments with the 2020 championship being cancelled due to COVID.

With a 17-6 conference record this season, KCC had to start the postseason on the road in Grand Rapids – an unusual spot for the Bruins, which has qualified for the regionals 19 straight season. A sweep at Grand Rapids CC put KCC in the final four at the Region XII Tournament, still as the underdog.

There, KCC upset No. 21-ranked Cuyahoga CC team that had won 41 straight games. Down 6-1 early, the Bruins’ Reese Jenkins hit a grand slam late to help KCC to a 13-9 win. Jenkins, who had only 30 at-bats all season, was playing due to injury and came up big for the Bruins.

KCC then had to face a No. 9 nationally-ranked Lansing CC team that had dominated the Bruins in the regular season. KCC jumped on Lansing for 11 runs in the first inning on the way to a win to set up a championship clash with Lansing once again in the final. The Bruins won the regional final 11-3 to punch its ticket to the World Series.

Lakeview graduate and KCC freshman Jake Kurcharczyk was named regional tournament MVP.

“I wasn’t expecting to be MVP, because a lot of our guys had a pretty big weekend as well, but it was a cool experience,” Kucharczyk said. “Winning at regionals the way we did showed we can beat anybody. We have what we need to win things like this and it shows we are ready to take on the big dogs at Enid, for sure.

“It is super exciting to be going to the World Series. This is my hometown team, so I’m glad to be a part of this and see us succeed.”

First-round matchups for the 2025 NJCAA Division II World Series were announced Tuesday. No. 22-ranked KCC will see No. 6 Southeastern CC (Iowa) and will play 10 a.m. Saturday on May 24.

“I think about Russ Bortell, the guy who built this program and turned it over to me and I am so proud to carry on the tradition,” Laskovy said. “You think about all the former players and coaches that have helped build this. Our alums have a lot of pride concerning this program. To represent all of them by going to another World Series, it just means the world. We are overjoyed.”

Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @billbroderick

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