Saturday, March 29, 2008

WNCC baseball splits with Trinidad State

TRINIDAD, Colo. — The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team belted three home runs in the opener of a four-game series with Trinidad State Junior College Saturday to help the Cougars to a split of Empire Conference games.

WNCC scored seven times in the fourth inning to register an 11-7 win before surrounding a 12-3 defeat in game two. Both teams will back on the field today to finish out the series.

We played really well in the first game,” head coach Mike Jones said. “Todd [Stachura] pitched a good game even though they scored some runs late. Offensively, we win swung the bats with a lot of authority.”

WNCC’s dominant hitting came against a pitcher that shut out the Cougars at the beginning of the month at Cleveland Field, Jones said he was pleased with the turn-around.

The Cougars’ Rudy Soto continued his torrid hitting by leading off the game with a lead-off home run. Carlos Garcia followed with a third-inning dinger to push the lead to 4-2. Aurelio Monteagudo delivered the knock-out shot, a fourth-inning two-out grand slam to open up the lead 11-2.

WNCC pounded out 13 hits in the win. Soto led the team with a 3-for-4 performance, including three runs scored. Aurelio and David Monteagudo each collected two hits in the win. Aurelio finished with four RBIS, while David had two singles.

Stachura picked up the win, striking out three and allowing 14 hits, despite throwing 99 pitches in six innings of work.

The Cougars continued their hot hitting in game two as Chris Hook popped a 2-out first-inning home run for a 3-0 lead. The lead didn’t last long as Trinidad plated four runs each in the first, third and fifth inning for its 12 runs.

Despite the loss, Jones felt his team did hit the ball well, they just couldn’t find the holes in Trinidad’s defense.

“The second game we scored three runs in the first and then we couldn’t get the big hits,” he said. “We still hit the ball hard and had good at bats, nut we just hit the ball at them.”

WNCC finished the game with seven hits, including 2-for-3 performances from Garcia and David Monteagudo.

Jeff Fauss took the loss on the mound, allowing seven runs and five hits.

Jones said Jackson Salazar and Gustavo Sanchez will get the start in today’s games.

First Game
WNCC 103 700 0 — 11 13 0
Trinidad State 110 300 2 — 7 14 2

WP — Stachuram LP — Woodard; 2B — TSJC (Wulf 2); HR — WNCC (Soto, A. Monteagudo, Garcia), TSJC (Roth).

Second Game
WNCC (15-14) 300 000 0 — 3 7 2
Trinidad State 404 040 x — 12 12 0

WP — Mundfrom, LP — Fauss; 2B — WNCC (Susini), TSJC (Decker, Wolf, Roth); HR — WNCC (Hook), TSJC (Wulf).

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