Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Press Release

Date: April 21, 2008
Released By Alan Hoskins
Sports Information Director
Kansas City, Kansas Community College

Burleson Gets 900th KCKCC Baseball Win

Steve Burleson added yet another page to his lengthy resume as Kansas City Kansas Community College baseball coach Saturday.
A 6-5 win at Allen County was Burleson's 900th at the Blue Devil helm and moved the Blue Devils a step closer towards a first round home playoff berth.
Beaten 8-5 in Saturday's second game, the Blue Devils (17-10) hold a two-game lead over Allen County (18-15) for the fourth and final home berth with nine games to go while remaining in striking distance of Cowley County (24-7), Fort Scott (21-9) and Johnson County (19-9).
Home against Labette at Community America today, the Blue Devils host Highland at Mid-America Thursday and Coffeyville Saturday and go to Labette on Sunday.
Ironically, Burleson's 900th win came against the only coach to have more Jayhawk Conference wins in Allen County's Val McLean, who has 1,029 wins in 31 years. However, Burleson's winning percentage of .642 (990-501) is slightly higher than McLain's .636 mark (1,029-587).
"In view of being right in the middle of a very, very hotly contested playoff race, it's more important in what this team is trying to do right now than history but maybe down the road I'll have time to think about it," said Burleson. "Right now, this team needs to concentrate not on the next game but on the next pitch."
However, Burleson did say that his 29 years at KCKCC have been extremely rewarding, especially the fact that 88 percent of the players he has coached have received scholarships to continue their education. "I read somewhere that 84 percent of the people hate their jobs. I absolutely love this job. I have so much incredible fun and it's so rewarding to be in contact with so many mentally healthy people who have their lives in front of them and are headed in a positive direction."
Winner of seven Jayhawk East Conference championship and Coach of the Year at least four years, Burleson's Blue Devils won three straight Region VI champions in 1985-87 when they were ranked 10th, 16th and 17th nationally.
Burleson's contributions, however, extend far beyond wins and losses. A co-founder of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC), Burleson wrote the original baseball constitution. He also served as chairman of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Hall of Fame, Baseball Hospitality and International Competition committees and vice-president and treasurer of the NJCAA Baseball Association.
In 1987, he coached the North team to the gold medal in the U.S. Olympic Festival and in 1991, was the head coach of an NJCAA All-Star team which finished fourth in the Tournament of Americas in Cuba. More recently, he has managed three national championship teams in the Men's Senior Baseball League.
Burleson's 900th win came after some anxious moments. Leading 6-2 in the seventh, Allen County scored three times on five singles and had the tying and winning runs on first and second when Austin Etling got the final out on a fly ball to center. Etling struck out four, walked none and scattered 11 hits in running his record to 4-1.
Kevin Logan led KCKCC with his second home run of the season and a run-scoring single while Ben Pieper, Travis Parker and Zack Frerichs each singled and doubled and Richie Kiec singled twice.
Allen County broke a 5-5 tie on a two-out, three-run double in the bottom of the sixth to win the nightcap 8-5. Frerichs had a double and single and Zach Theademan and Travis Parker two singles for the Blue Devils, who left 12 runners on base.