by Charles Chaney
The Kansas Cannons were set to kick off their 2023 schedule this afternoon at Kingman’s Jayhawk Jamboree, but Mother Nature had another idea.
The season opener against Newton was canceled and replaced with a Saturday doubleheader as each team plays in a two-pod format. Great Bend, Kingman and Canons in the first pod. Second Hayesville, Derby and Newton.
Kansas will begin its schedule at 3 p.m. against host team Kingman. He would then turn around and face Great Bend in the second game.
Saturday schedule
Hayesville vs. Newton, 9am
Derby v Hayesville, 11am
Newton vs Derby, 1pm
Canons vs. Kingman, 3pm
Great Bend vs. Canons, 5pm
Kingman vs Great Bend, 7pm
The Cannons begin scheduling the Jayhawk League on Monday, June 5, against the Sluggin Rebels in Newton. They are scheduled to return home on Tuesday and Wednesday for the remaining two games against Newton. There will then be a three-game series against the Derby from Thursday to Saturday.
The Cannons will play two straight 10-game runs in June before heading into the Jayhawk League All-Star Game on July 2 at Great Bend.
They are due to return to action on July 4th in a non-league game against El Dorado at McDonald Stadium in Eldorado.
The Canons have decided to move to a new adaptation of the Jayhawk League to be more competitive this offseason. They have combined with several competitive teams in the Sunflower League and are expected to be among the top tier of summer college baseball in Kansas.
Formerly named the Sunflower College League, it has now reverted to the famous Jayhawk College League. Great Bend, Kingman, Hutchinson, Great Bend, Derby, Hayesville and Newton will play in the Jayhawk College League with the Cannons. The league was founded in 1976 and was suspended in 2018 after several teams left. However, they will return in 2023 and join the Premier League of the National Baseball Congress.
The Sunflower League will feature Hutchinson, Great Bend, Derby, Hayesville, Kingman and Newton. The Cannons join from the University of Kansas Baseball. The Cannons have won the KCLB for the past few seasons, but despite their impressive performances, they were not invited to the NBC World Series. They were 37-9 last season, 31-3 in KCLB, and 31-18 last season. They have never been shy about regularly playing high-level teams like the Hayes and Liberals.
Eleven of the first 27 players announced by the Cannons are from Kansas. Additionally, four are from Butler County. The Canons also brought back nine players from last year’s team.
Rocco Gump, the Cannons’ leading hitter last season, returns after batting .333 last year. He appeared in 23 games last season and had two homers, 21 RBIs and 21 walks. William Jewell outfielder Cale Brush will also return. 282 with 17 RBIs last season. He also finished fourth on the team last season with 26 points.
Logan Bartlett returns with a bump. He played in 10 games last season with 3 wins and 0 losses and an ERA of 1.11. He pitched 24.1 innings and allowed just three earned runs. He also had 31 strikeouts. Circle alumnus Jake Scholz is also back. He pitched 15.1 innings in 10 games with a 1.76 ERA. Shorts also struck out 21 batters in 15 innings pitched.
2023 Canons Roster
Owen Bailey, C/1B, Burton CC
Logan Bartlett, P, Neoshaw County CC
Cale Brush, OF, William Jewell
Christian Caruso, MIF/OF, Province of Roan (TN) CC
Owen Klein, 3B/2B/SS, Iowa Western CC
Will Dixon, OF, Stephen F. Austin
Tyson Drake, OF, County Tarleton
Cooper Ewing, P, Murray State (OK) University
Ethan Furnestock, OF, Johns Hopkins
Timothy Gordon, C, Province of Roan (TN) CC
Rocco Gump, IF, Pima, AZ CC
Jet Hand, OF, Marshalltown, Iowa CC
Christian Hoffman, OF, JC, New Mexico
Hunter Jansen, P/OF/1B, Pepperdine
Matthew Lorencz, P, Garden City CC
Max Maholland, P, Hutch CC
Tysak Noland, C, Stephen F. Austin
Carsen Praguet, SS, George Mason
Eric Prouch, P, Baker (KS)
Ethan Lawn, P/2B/3B, Murray State (OK) University
Jake Scholz, P, Butler CC
Tate Sloan, P/UT, Angelo State University
Ganon Snyder, 3B/2B/OF, Wichita
Johnny Stacy, P, Angelo State University
Garrett Vandeventer, Newman, Kansas
Alex Willie, P, Western CC, Iowa
Mason Ray, C/3B, Cochise, Arizona CC
