Looking to add to a 40-win season total, the Neosho County Community College Panther baseball team will host Barton Community College Saturday at 1 p.m.to start the National Junior College Athletic Association Central District Region VI playoffs.
Game three would be Sunday at 1 p.m. if necessary
Barton (16-16 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference West, 26-25 overall) is the No. 6 seed from the West and Neosho (23-13 KJCCC East, 40-14 overall) is the No. 3 seed from the East.
"We know Barton is a solid team that can beat anybody at anytime," Head Baseball Coach Steve Murry said. "They beat Seward. They beat Hutch. They beat the good teams over there. Their problem has been getting on a roll and staying consistent."
This year has been a contrast to last season, when the Panthers slump right before the playoffs and fell to Seward at Hudson Field in the first round of the Region VI. Neosho has won four straight and nine of the last 10 games. 
"I feel like last year, we were headed into such a tumble headed into the playoffs that we were just hoping it turned around and it didn't," Murry said. "We continued that tumble and that's how we ended the year. This year I feel like we're on the upswing here headed into the playoffs. I hope that trend continues. It's survive and advance or go home."
The Panthers have not played since Sunday. A game scheduled against Rockhurst University for Monday at Hudson Field was cancelled by Rockhurst.
"I don't mind the rest," Murry said. "We did scrimmage for about four hours the other day to use some pitchers we hadn't. That was pretty unintense and uneventful. Sometimes certain teams need that structure going in. This team is just a bunch of goofballs and I think we could have practiced and been just as well off."
Matt Slauter will start on the mound in game one. Trent Latta will start game two. If necessary, Shane Hummel will get the game three start.
"(Slauter) is our most seasoned veteran," Murry said. "Trent Latta, who's probably had our best year pitching, we're going with him in game two. We feel like Shane Hummel has come far enough in his rehab that we're going to throw him in game three. That means all of our other starters in (Tyler) Mitzel and (Jeremy) Mansur will be in relief. In a two-out-of-three series, you just kind of put your best foot forward and hope for the best." 
There will be a fee for admission to the playoff games. Adults will be charged $5. Children under 12 get in free. 
The winner of the first round match up will advance to the Central District (Region VI) Tournament at Lawrence Dumont Stadium in Wichita. The tournament will begin Friday and run through May 12. 
 
NJCAA Central District first round
No. 16 Highland at No. 1 Seward County, Saturday, 1p.m, game two to follow, and Sunday, noon (if needed)
No. 9 Garden City at No. 8 Coffeyville, Saturday, 1p.m., 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. (if needed)
No. 12 Fort Scott at No. 5 Hutchinson, Saturday, 1 p.m., 30 minutes following Game one, and Sunday, 1 p.m. (if needed)
No. 13 Pratt at No. 4 Johnson County, Saturday, 1:10 p.m., game two to follow, and Sunday, 1:10 p.m. (if needed)
No. 14 Labette at No. 3 Dodge City, Saturday 2 p.m., 5 p.m, and Sunday, 1 p.m. (if needed)
No. 11 Barton at No. 6 Neosho County, Saturday, 1 p.m., game two to follow, and Sunday, 1 p.m. (if needed)
No. 10 Kansas City KS at No. 7 Butler, Saturday, 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. (if needed)
No. 15 Colby at No. 2 Cowley, Saturday, 2 p.m., game two to follow, and Sunday, 1 p.m. (if needed)