The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference has announced that the City of Great Bend will host its 2014 Baseball and Softball Championship Tournaments. All baseball and softball tournament games will be played at the Great Bend Sports Complex, Wednesday, April 30 – Saturday, May 3.
“We are thrilled to host the KCAC baseball and softball championships for 2014!” stated Howard Partington, Great Bend City Administrator. He added, “This is an opportunity for as many as ten different college communities to see what Great Bend has to offer and play on our beautiful fields.”
A proposal and recruitment effort was made by the Great Bend Sports Complex team to encourage the KCAC Board of Presidents to choose Great Bend as the location for the tournaments. The team is made up of City and Great Bend Recreation Commission staff; other contributors include: USD 428, Barton Community College Sports Medicine, and New Boston Creative.
Upon visiting Great Bend and the sports park, KCAC staff highlighted the features the Great Bend Sports Complex that include: Three softball fields, one premier baseball field, one dual use field, batting cages, bullpens, Musco Lighting, Daktronics Scoreboard technology, wireless internet, shaded areas, meeting space, umpire locker room, ample parking, Imagination Playground, and dedicated athletic training space.
Five KCAC baseball teams will compete in a double elimination tournament starting April 30. The tournament will conclude May 3 with the victor earning an automatic bid into the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round. Twenty yards away from the baseball tournament, eight KCAC softball teams will play up to 15 games during the conference tournament, scheduled for May 1 and 2. The winner of the conference tournament will earn automatic entry into the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round.
“We are looking forward to the excitement of collegiate level baseball and softball playing at the Great Bend Sports Complex”. Diann Henderson, Great Bend Recreation Commission Director noted that “Great Bend has the opportunity to host such a prestigious tournament is a credit to our community and all those involved.”
For the past three seasons, the KCAC baseball tournament was held at Hobart-Detter Field while Softball was held at Fun Valley Softball Complex. Both venues are located in Hutchinson, Kansas.
“The KCAC appreciates our time with the City of Hutchinson and look forward to building a lasting relationship with the community of Great Bend.” Stated Dr. Scott Crawford, KCAC Commissioner.
The City and partners will be preparing for the tournament coming this April and May, until then, the City is interested in finding collegiate alumni from the KCAC Team list to help be community ambassadors for the teams while they spend the week in Great Bend.