The Neosho County Community College hit three home runs in a 7-2 and 5-2 sweep of the Johnson County Community College Cavaliers Thursday afternoon at Hudson Field.

In the first game, the visitors scored first in the top of the second with two runs, but Neosho County didn't waste any time responding in the bottom half of the inning. Back-to-back walks opened the inning for the Panthers, but it wasn't until freshman third baseman Brylie Ware reached on an error to put Neosho County on the scoreboard. Sophomore outfielder Evan Bourn then smacked a grand slam over the right field fence into the wind, handing the Panthers a 5-2 lead.

After the second inning, starting pitcher Tyler Mitzel didn't allow another Johnson County run for the remainder of the game. The Panthers added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out double by sophomore outfielder Blake Tomasino. Mitzel picked up the win in 6 and 1/3 innings of work. He struck out seven Cavalier batters and only walked one. Offensively, freshman catcher Cooper Minnick and sophomore first baseman Ryan Tolivar went 2 for 3 at the plate.

In game two, Johnson struck first again, this time in the top of the third inning, scoring twice, but in the bottom half of the inning, an error and a fielder's choice by Johnson County tied the game at two. The score remained tied until the bottom of the sixth when freshman Aaron Dees and Tomasino went deep on back-to-back at-bats to put the Panthers in front 4-2. Neosho County added one more in the bottom of the eighth when sophomore and leadoff batter Darian Abram reached on an error, scoring Tomasino. Sophomore second baseman Chad Thomas, Tomasino, Toliver and Ware tallied two hits apiece in the second game. Starting pitcher Mason Knopp picked up the win, throwing eight full innings for the Panthers. He struck out four and surrendered seven hits. Drew Johnson went to the mound in the ninth to pick up his third save of the season.

The Panthers (15-1 overall and 5-1 in the KJCCC) and Johnson County (13-6 and 1-5) will wrap up the four-game series Saturday in Overland Park.