The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team rode the strong-arm pitching of Armani Gonzalez as they advanced to the Championship Series next weekend in Lamar, Colo., after dropping Trinidad State Junior College 10-7 at Cleveland Field on Sunday. Gonzalez, who threw 5 1/3 innings in striking out seven and allowing just one run on three hits from the bullpen, gave the Cougar offense the lift they needed. The offense responded as they pounded out 17 hits, including four runs in the seventh and eighth inning to earn the win.
"Our starting pitching wasn't real strong. but we went to the bullpen and to Armani Gonzales, who pitched a little for us yesterday. He was outstanding on the mound," WNCC coach Mike Jones said. "He came in the game and really took control of the game, which I think was key. The way Armani came in and started dominating their hitters let everyone on our team know that if we could put together some runs, we have a good chance to win the game.
"Then, our offense definitely showed up. We had 16 hits or something like that and offensively, we really busted out and hit a lot of balls hard. There weren't really a lot of cheap hits in there. We really stepped up and hit the ball well."
The Cougar offense was potent all game long, but it was late that the Cougars needed the run. WNCC offensive power started early as Elvis Garcia had a solo home run in the first inning to tie the game at 1-1.
WNCC took a 4-1 lead after two innings as they plated three runs on four hits in the second inning. Trace Marsden started things with a one-out single. Kevin Sanford followed with a two-out single that scored Marsden.
Sanford scored the second run of the inning n a Jared Baros single. Baros came around to score on a double by Shane Wade for the 4-1 lead.
Trinidad fought back taking control of the game by scoring twice in the third and four times in the fourth for a 7-4 lead.
WNCC fought back by slicing the lead to one, 7-6, with two runs in the fifth as Garcia singled and Camilo Baldelomar doubled. Each later scored.
WNCC took the lead for good in the seventh with three runs on four hits. Baldelomar started things with a double and came around to score on a Marsden single. Marsden came around to score on a Baros single, and then Sanford scored on a Wade single for a 9-7 lead.
The Cougars scored an insurance run in the eighth inning on two hits for the final margin.
Jones said that his team didn't want to end their season and dug down deep. Last year, the Cougars were eliminated in two games in the first round by Northeastern Junior College at home. This year, the players wanted this win to get last year's miserable finish out of their mouth.
"We played with a lot of heart and we played with a lot of guts," Jones said. "We were down in the ball game early and we were able to fight back. We showed a lot of character and it showed the attitude of the guys and their desire to win."
WNCC was led from the plate by Shane Wade, Elvis Garcia and Nelson Quintero, who each went 3-for-5. Wade finished the game with a double and two RBIs, while Garcia had two runs scored, two RBIs and a home run.
Also collecting multiple hits were Camilo Baldelomar going 2-for-2 with two runs scored, and Jared Baros, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI.
The victory not only sends the Cougars to the Region IX Championship series this weekend in Lamar, Colo., but it guarantees them a berth in the district playoffs because of the fact that conference champion Lamar won their series against McCook. At stake this weekend is a Region IX title and as well as a chance to host the district playoffs the weekend of May 20-22.
Jones knows that his team won't be scoring 10 runs or pounding out 17 hits against Lamar.
"We will have to find good pitching," he said. "Our pitching has been there throughout conference play. We also need to play solid defense because I don't expect us to go there and put up 16 hits in a game against Lamar. i expect us to go up to find our hits, or our key hits, or our two-out hits, and find ways to manufacture runs."
Trinidad 102 400 000 -- 7 10 5
WNCC 130 020 31x -- 10 17 4
WP -- Armani Gonzalez. 2B -- Shane Wade, Camilo Baldelomar 2; HR -- Elvis Garcia.
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