The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team started the season Sunday earning a split with the Colorado University Club team at Gering's Oregon Trail Park.
In the opener, the Cougars dropped a 5-4 decision to the Buffaloes. The second game was a little different as the Cougars pounded out 12 hits in registering a 15-5 win in five innings.
"The games went about how I expected," WNCC coach Mike Jones said. "I thought the pitching was pretty good. We are shaky on defense right know because we haven't had enough repetitions on defense. Offense, our timing is all over the place. The important thing is we got a chance to get out and play and that is we wanted to do, to get out and start playing and learning."
In the season opener, Jake Vore smashed a seventh-inning home run to force extra innings. In the extra frame, Colorado scored two runs on three hits, including a lead-off home run by Tony Piha to grab a 5-3 lead.
The Cougars had a eighth-inning rally loading the bases with no outs as Jacob Montoya, Camilo Baldelomar and Reimier Alambarry all had singles. Montoya scored the only run in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Sanford.
Carlos Luzon took the loss on the mound, tossing the final three innings. Luzon allowed seven hits and three runs. The right-hander struck out three. Tim Beard started the game, going five innings, allowing just two runs on three hits while striking out two. Montoya, Alamberry and Vore all had two hits for the Cougars. Vore was 3-for-4 for three RBIs and a home run.
"I thought Jake Vore had an outstanding game for us offensively in the first game," Jones said. "He came up with a big home run to put us into extra inning situation. . unfortunately, we let it get away from us after that. even though we lose the game, it was a good game for us."The second game was a totally different contest for the Cougars. WNCC pounded out 12 hits, including three extra base hits. Nelson Quintero had the hot stick, going 3-for-4 with a double, home run, two runs scored and five RBIs. Baldelomar also went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, Josh Bride went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Sanford went 1-for-1 with four runs scored on three walks.
"You could tell we were a little bit more comfortable at the plate," Jones said. "We added some different guys to the line-up and they came up really big for us. Once we figure out all the pieces and put them all together, I think we will be pretty good." Quintero quickly put the Cougars on the scoreboard with a lead-off double before scoing on a Baldelomar single for the 1-0 lead.
WNCC opened the contest up in the second inning, plating five runs on four hits. The big hits came from Bride, who delivered a run-scoring double, and Quintero, who smashed a 3-run home run for a 6-0 lead.
Colorado added four runs in the third inning to slice the lead to 6-4, but the Cougars added two runs in the third inning. Quintero had the big hit, driving in two runs with a single to left field.
WNCC added four runs in the fourth inning on singles by Baldelomar and Rainer Tiel, before ending the game in the fifth with three runs.
Jeff Schmidt, from Cheyenne, Wyo., picked up the win, going four innings while allowing seven hits and four runs. Schmidt also struck out three. John Bravard threw the fifth inning, allowing just a run on one hit.
WNCC, 1-1, will be back in action Monday when they host McCook Community College in a 9-inning game at Gering's Oregon Trail Park.
Game One
Colorado 000 021 02 -- 5 10 0
WNCC 010 100 11 -- 4 9 2
WP -- Connor Vidulich; LP -- Carlos Luzon (0-1); 2B -- Rainer Tiel; HR -- Jake Vore.
Game Two
Colorado 004 01 -- 5 8 4
WNCC 152 43 -- 15 12 1
WP -- Jeff Schmidt (1-0); 2B -- Nelson Quintero, Josh Bride; HR -- Quintero.
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