MANHATTAN, Kan. - Camden Karlin had a strong pitching performance as the No. 3 seed KCKCC baseball team took care of No. 6 seed Cloud County CC 5-1 in their first game of the Plains District Tournament at Tointon Family Stadium - on the campus of Kansas State University. 

The Blue Devils are now 48-10 overall and advance to tomorrow's second round game at 4 p.m.

After Karlin started the game with retiring the Thunderbirds, the Blue Devils offense struck in the first inning. Cole Dawson led off with a single before stealing second base, and advancing on a wild pitch to third. Brendyn Bard stepped up to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly ball to right field to bring Dawson in to score. In the second inning the Blue Devils had two men reach base with one out. Pablo Sanchez who was standing at third base stole home to give the Blue Devils a 2-0 lead. 

Karlin threw another scoreless frame in the third inning, which led to another scoring frame for the Blue Devils. Palmer Hutchison hit his sixth home run of the season to lead off the inning and put the Blue Devils up 3-0. KCKCC added their fourth run the next inning when Dawson hit a sacrifice fly ball to right field - scoring Payton McHarg. 

Cloud County CC was hitless through the first six innings before they were able to muster two hits and one run in the seventh. The Blue Devils escaped the jam that inning before adding the final run in the bottom half on a single by Darius Freeman. Karlin's pitching performance lasted the entirety of the game as KCKCC held on easily to advance in the next round. 

Sanchez and Freeman each had two hits in the game, while Karlin pitched nine innings allowing just three hits and one run, while fanning eight batters.

KCKCC advances to Wednesday with a matchup against the winner of No. 2 Barton/No. 10 seed Hutchinson CC at 4 p.m.  

For a look at the full bracket, click here. 

By Tyler Scott, KCKCC Sports Information Director