The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team received strong pitching performances from two freshmen on Sunday as they captured a doubleheader from Williston State College at Cleveland Field.
The Cougars won 4-2 behind a a five-inning, four-hit pitching performance from Challis Wright. Then Gia Bernal gave up five hits in five innings as the Cougars had some timely hitting to register a 5-2 in the second game.
WNCC coach Mike Jones said Sunday was definitely better than Saturday when they split a doubleheader against Williston.
"We had a a lot better day today," Jones said. "I still think we came out a little bit shaky at the very beginning of the first game, but once we were able to settle in and have better at bats, things got better. There guy had trouble throwing strikes and we weren't swinging the bat. Once they went to the bullpen and had a guy that threw some strikes, we were able to put some hits together."Jones was really impressed with the effort his freshmen starting pitchers gave.
"We had two freshmen start the games today Challis and Gia both did outstanding jobs," he said. "They really threw a lot of strikes. Gia's strike percentage was outstanding. That was a good sign that we had freshmen go out there and settle in and compete so hard." Wright, the right-hander from Aurora, Colo., picked up the win in game one tossing five innings of work. He allowed four hits, while walking two and striking out two. After that, Zak Porter through one inning in picking up a hold before Brett McPhail earned the save in throwing the seventh.
Williston struck first in the opener as Casey Patrick earned a lead-off walk and scored on a sacrifice fly. WNCC took the lead in the second inning as Trevor Kreisel walked followed by a single by Josh Bride. Both runners came around to score on passed balls for a 2-1 lead. WNCC padded its lead to 4-1 in the fifth. Benly Ramos started things with a one-out single followed by a single by Jake Vore. After Kreisel walked to load the bases, Bride game through with a 2-out single to score Ramos and Vore.
Williston State scored one in the seventh and had the bases loaded with just one out, but McPhail got a ground ball to third base to force out the second out at home and then ended the game on a strikeout.
Bride led the Cougars offensively with a 2-for-3 effort including a run scored and two RBIs.
The Cougars received strong pitching performances from Bernal and reliever Keeton Krause. Bernel went five innings in allowing five hits and two runs, while striking out four and hitting two batters.
Krause came in to toss the final two innings to get the save as the freshman from Aurora, Colo., didn't allow a hit while walking two and striking out one.
WNCC got on the scoreboard first with two runs in the third inning. Andy Padron led off the frame with a walk and scored on a Max Brennan double. Brennan came around to score on a Ramos single for the 2-0 lead.
The Tetons tied the game in the top of the fifth with two runs on two hits and an error. The big hit came from Tyler England with a 2-run single that got by the outfielder to tie the game at 2-2.
WNCC came back, however, in the bottom of the frame with three runs. Jose Gonzalez started things by reaching on error. Gonzalez came around to score the go-ahead run on a Brennan double. The Cougars were just starting as Ramos earned a walk and then Brennan and Ramos both scored on a double by Jake Vore that nearly left the yard in right centerfield for the 5-2 lead.
WNCC finished the contest with six hits. Brennan led the way with a 2-for-3 contest with two runs scored, two RBIs and two doubles. Ramos and Vore each finished with two RBIs each.
Jones said added while his team didn't get very many hits in the two contest, what they did accomplish is come up with some big hits. They also took chances on the bases as well.
"We came up with some nice clutch hits and drove in some runs in some one-out situations," he said. "We were also aggressive on the bases, getting quite a few advances on stolen bases with the ball in the dirt. We are definitely making some progress. We have a lot of work to do, but hopefully we will get there."
WNCC, 3-1, will now go on the road for five games in Great Bend, Kan., against Barton Community College beginning Friday.
"We have five games against a really good team coming up," he said. "We are hoping for some good weather. We will continue to work everyone in for some playing time and maybe try some guys at a few different positions."
Game One
Williston 100 000 1 -- 2 6 1
WNCC 020 020 x -- 4 4 1
WP -- Challis Wright, LP -- Conner Oliver, S -- Brett McPhail. 2B -- WSC (Colton Gatherum).
Second Game
Williston 000 020 0 -- 2 5 2
WNCC (3-1) 002 030 x -- 5 6 2
WP -- Gia Bernal, LP Andy Vehr, S -- Keeton Krause; 2B -- WNCC (Max Brennan, Jake Vore), WSC (Conner Oliver).
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