In fact, the four games could mean the difference between WNCC hosting a first-round game or not making the playoffs at all when the Cougars and Lamar hook up in a four-game series Saturday and Sunday at Cleveland Field. Only the top four teams make the playoffs this season, which is different from past years when all six teams competed in the double elimination tournament.
“It is not quite the playoffs yet, but it will feel like a playoff atmosphere,” Jones said. “These games are that important for us, and to Lamar, it is just as important because they don’t want to slip from second to fifth. It is almost like the playoffs almost started. We have to come out and play well.”
This year’s Region IX playoffs will pit the No. 1 and 4 seeds and the No. 2 and 3 seeds together at the site of the higher seed in a best two-out-of-three series beginning May 2. The winners will then square off the following week for the Region IX title.
WNCC, 22-21 overall, holds the down the third position in conference standings with a 12-12 record. They also hold the tie-breaker over
“There is a pack of us from second to fifth that are real close, and everybody will play each other this weekend,” Jones said. “We will find out where everybody stands on Monday.”
Jones said the new playoff format is adding plenty of drama to the race.
“If it wasn’t for that new playoff, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal because everybody knows they would make the tournament and everybody knows they are even and they could beat anybody in the tournament,” he said. “Now since that new format is in place, it really puts a lot of emphasize on the games for everybody.”
Lamar and WNCC already split a doubleheader earlier in the season. Lamar won the first game 8-1 before the Cougars came back and lit up the Runnin’ Lopes winning 17-8. First pitch Saturday is slated for 1 p.m., while Sunday’s action begins at noon.
“They beat us the first game and then we put up quite a few runs in the second game,” he said. “We know we can beat them. It will definitely come down to our pitching and whether our pitching can hold down there lineup for seven innings in four games straight will be our biggest question.”
WNCC’s fate will rest in the hands of pitchers Todd Stachura and Kyler Edgehouse on Saturday, and Jackson Salazar and Jake Vulk on Sunday. But, Jones said they will need to come ready to swing the bat against a young but talented Lamar team.
“For us offensively we are so up and down right now. We can score 10 runs or we can score two,” he said. “I think playing at home helps us out a lot. We see the ball so much better at home and we like the bigger field. We have more area to get some singles and line drives down. I think it plays in our favor.”
While it is important for the Cougars to win, the standings will also depend on other conference play.
“We talk about how important this series is, but I don’t know if it has sunk into them yet,” Jones said. “I believe they have been taking it one game at a time and now all of a sudden the big picture is on top of them.
“There is two different ways to look at this series. One is to just approach it as any other day and have some fun with it and play your game and see how it all finishes. But, there again, the other side of it is maybe you come out too relaxed. Maybe Lamar comes out really energetic hoping to get an advantage on us. I think for us, we are going to put a little bit more emphasize on it then we have other ball games.”
Conference Standings
School Conf. Overall
NJC 16-6 28-10
Lamar 19-10 21-18
WNCC 12 -12 22-21
Otero 12-12 19-27
McCook 4-18 14-30
Saturday’s Games
Lamar at WNCC
NJC at Otero
Sunday’s Games
Lamar at WNCC
NJC at Otero
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