Wednesday, April 20, 2011

WNCC baseball falls to NJC 4-0


                STERLING, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team dropped an Empire Conference contest to Northeastern Junior College 4-0 Wednesday in Sterling, Colo.
                The Cougars never really got their offense rolling, managing just five hits in the contest compared to 11 for the Plainsmen.
                NJC struck first, grabbing a 2-0 lead after two innings with a single run in each inning. The Plainsmen went up 4-0 with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings.  That was all NJC needed as the Cougars had trouble getting the clutch hit.
                WNCC, however, had plenty of chances to scratch a run or two. The best change was in the second when Jake Montoya led off after being plunked by a pitch. Nelson Quintero then reached base on an error to put two on with just one out. But, just like all season, the Cougars failed to get the clutch hit to score a run.
                The Cougars also had back-to-back singles with two outs by Camilo Baldelomar and Kevin Sanford in the third, but were stranded. The same in the fourth, seventh and ninth innings where the Cougars had two runners on and couldn’t get them home.
                Jake Stutzman took the loss on the mound, going six innings, scattering nine hits and giving up three runs. Stutzman walked two and struck out two. Trevor Kreisel finished the game, going two innings in allowing a run on two hits.
                Jake Peltz had the only extra base hit in the contest for WNCC with a double.
                WNCC falls to 14-28 overall and is 7-15 in conference play, just 2 ½ games behind McCook for the fourth and final playoff spot.
                The Cougars will be back in action this weekend when they face Lamar Community College on Friday and Otero Junior College Saturday in key conference contests at Cleveland Field. Both games are set for 1 p.m. first pitches.

WNCC (14-28)    000 000 000 – 0 5 1
NJC (18-31)         110 001 10x – 4 11 2
LP – Jake Stutzman; 2B – Jake Peltz.
               

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