The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team showed some fire Friday afternoon against Northeastern Junior College in a Empire Conference doubleheader. Unfortunately the Cougars could only manage a split of games despite coming up just short in the second game.
The Cougars responded with authority after Wednesday's 6-2 loss to the Plainsmen, claiming the first game by pounding out 10 hits in running to a 10-2 win. In the second game, the Cougars couldn't stop the Plainsmen in the seventh inning despite a furious seventh-inning rally of their own in falling 5-4.
The two squads will be back at Cleveland Field today [Saturday] for another conference doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
WNCC coach Mike Jones said it was nice to see the team respond after Wednesday's defeat.
"We didn't play that well on Wednesday and it was good to see us come out today [Friday] and play as solid as we did," he said.
Jones said they probably played their best game both offensively and defensively as Gering's Carlos Palomo tossed a four-hitter while striking out seven.
"That is the best game we played all year as far as putting offense, defense and pitching all together," Jones said. "We had control of the game from the very beginning and we didn't let up; we kept the pressure on the entire game. This team is coming on. We are getting better and better." What the Cougars did in the first game is limit stranding runners on base. WNCC left just three players in scoring position in the contest as they ran out to a 9-0 lead.
WNCC scored single runs in the first and second inning. The first Reiner Alamberry singled home Paul SIngh with the early run. In the second, Ray Tiel ripped a double and scored on a base hit by Alliance's Jake Peltz.
The Cougars plated four more runs on three hits in the third inning, before adding another three runs in the fourth inning to take a 9-0 lead.
NJC finally broke the shut out with a single run in the fifth inning. WNCC added its final run in the sixth inning as Kevin Sanford blasted a 500-foot home run over the left field fence.
WNCC had just one player finish with multiple hits. Camilo Baldelomar went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Sanford went 1-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBIS, while Alamberry picked up three RBIs.
Jones said they played well in the second game, too, they just lost to a a NJC team that wouldn't die in the seventh inning.
"Luzon pitched a really good game for us and unfortunately we let it get away in the seventh inning," he said. "We didn't make the mistakes and we didn't play it timid; NJC went up there, got their base hits and beat us. At least we didn't give it to them, we let them earn it."
WNCC kept playing well in the second game through six innings. The Cougars opened the scoring with a single run in the second inning as Alamberry scored on a Jake Vore single.
The Plainsmen came back to tie the game in the fifth on a two hits WNCC, however, answered right back in the bottom of the frame with a single run. Vore led off with a single and came sliding home on a Jake Montoya hit.
NJC didn't fade away, scoring four times on five hits in the seventh inning to grab a 5-2 lead. WNCC, down to their last at bat, put together a furious rally. With one out, Montoya ripped a single. Peltz followed with a single of his own.
Singh then reached base on a fielder's choice that resulted in a dropped ball at second base to load the bases. Nelson Quintano and Baldelomar came through with run-scoring singles. But relief pitcher Zack Snider came in and got a line-out double play to give the Plainsmen the victory.
WNCC managed eight hits in the loss, four of which came in the seventh inning. Vore led the way going 2-for-3 with a runs scored and an RBI.
Carlos Luzon started and went six strong innings allowing one run and five hits to get the no-decision. Terry McNabb picked up the loss, in allowing four runs, five hits and striking out one.
Jones said they just need to put the heartbreaking loss behind them and come out swinging again today.
"It will be important for us to come back out and play well tomorrow [Saturday]," Jones said. "Seeing us make the progress we did in coming out and playing so well like we did today will be important for us to continue to play like that. We need to continue to hit the ball and put another two games together."
First Game
NJC 000 010 1 -- 2 6 4
WNCC 114 300 x -- 10 10 0
WP -- Carlos Palomo; LP -- Manuel Garduno; 2B -- WNCC (Ray Tiel), NJC (Josh Montano); HR -- WNCC (Kevin Sanford).
Second Game
NJC (9-16) 000 010 4 -- 5 9 3
WNCC (12-22) 010 010 2 -- 4 8 0
WP -- Tyler Schmunk, LP -- Terry McNabb, S -- Zack Snider; 2B -- WNCC (Kevin Sanford).
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