The East Central College Falcons (25-22-1) were triumphant over the M0berly Area Greyhounds 5-1 in the NJCAA Region 16 DII Championship. The title gives the Falcons a top seed heading into heading into next week’s district tournament at Taco Bell Field on the East Central College campus in Union, MO.
The Falcons used their talons to take a firm grip on the lead with a solo home run to right field by Henry Kufa. Kufa had an 0-2 count as the leadoff hitter when he smashed a pitch over the fence to give ECC a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
A single by Kannon Hibbs extended the East Central College Falcons lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning.
A big sixth inning had the Falcons extend the lead to 5-1. Toby Goodwin hit a solo home run to left field, and Cody Kantz singled, scoring two runs.
Hibbs earned the win for East Central College Falcons. Jiter Montilla collected the save. Ayden Gates threw two innings scoreless innings in relief. Gates surrendered one hit, striking out two batters.
ECC tallied 11 hits in the game. Hibbs and Goodwin each collected three hits for East Central College Falcons. Hibbs, Kufa, Kantz, and Goodwin each drove in one run for East Central College Falcons.
The 2025 region championship was the third in the past four years for the Falcons. Past titles came in 2022 and 2024.
The Falcons have their sights set on winning a district to earn a birth to the 2025 NJCAA DII World Series in Enid, OK.
2025 NJCAA Region 16 DII Champions
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