Jake Vore smashed two home runs and the Western Nebraska Community College baseball team erupted offensively in registering a sweep over the University of Colorado Club team Saturday at Cleveland Field.
In the opener, Jeff Schmitt tossed a complete game 4-hitter in leading the Cougars to the 4-0 win. The second game saw the Cougars erupt for nine sixth-inning runs in posting a come-frome-behing 12-4.
Vore said his team played well in all three areas, pitching, offense and defense, to get the two wins. Saturday's doubleheader sweep stopped a 5-game losing streak.
"Overall, I think we played pretty well," the sophomore from Olathe, Kan., said. "We pitched well and threw strikes, we fielded the ball and didn't make a whole lot of errors, and we put up runs when we needed to and came through with RBI situations. Scoring the runs is good because we worked on that a lot this week. We have to put these game behind us and ready for the conference games. Those are what really matters."
The way this team came through offensively will go a huge ways in Sunday's Region IX doubleheader against Trinidad State Junior College, which begins at 1 p.m. at Cleveland Field.
"If we can put it all together tomorrow [Sunday] where we put all three aspects, pitching, defense and offense together, we should come out and take another two," Vore said. "That would be a good way to start our conference play."
The Cougars erupted for 12 runs and eight hits in the final three innings of the second game. Trailing 3-0 Vore got the offense started with a first-pitch 2-run home run to right field in the fourth. WNCC tied the game in the fifth when Zach Ostergard singled and scored on a 2-out triple by Max Brennan.
Colorado went back in front at 4-3 in the sixth inning. WNCC came right back with nine runs on five hits in tbe bottom of the frame. The run-explosion all started with a bases-loaded 2-run double by Josh Bride. Brennan followed with his second triple of the game, a 3-run shot down the rightfield line. Vore closed out the scoring with his second 2-run home run.
Vore said the home runs felt good, but he couldn't have accomplished it without the rest of the team working the pitchers. The home runs were the first of the year for the Cougars. Both home runs were also first-pitch dingers.
" It definitely helped start the offense but without guys doing their job in front of me, it wouldn't have been there. The other hitters were getting on base, working the pitcher and allowing me to get pitches to hit," he said.
Vore never thought this kind of game was possible for him.
"It is unbelievable," he said. "It is something you think about and you always think it would be cool to hit two home runs in a game, but it is nothing I ever expected to do, especially at the college level. Both were first pitch strikes which are usually the best pitch that you will see. After that they start to work you. If they throw me something to hit I will go and get it."
Trevor Kriesel picked up the win, going 6 2/3 innings. The sophomore allowed just one run, two hits and struck out one. Terry McNabb started the contest in allowing three runs on four walks and an error.
Vore and Brennan each had two hits in the contest. Vore went 2-for-3 with three runs scoerd, four RBIs and two home runs, while Brennan went 2-for-4 with two triples and four RBIs.
In the opener, the Cougars scored a single run in the second on a Keeton Krause run-scoring single and really that is all WNCC needed as Schmitt tossed a four-hit shutout. Schmitt scattered four hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter in his time on the mound. His mastering of the pitches and the error-free defense behind him saw just three Buffalo players touch second baseb.
WNCC added three insurance runs in the fifth on three hits. Tre Meier started things after being plunked by a pitch followed by a single by Krause. Krause later scored on a single by Bride.
Krause was the only Cougars with more than two hits, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI.
First Game
Colorado 000 000 0 -- 0 4 1
WNCC 010 030 x -- 4 5 0
WP -- Jeff Schmitt
Second Game
Colorado 300 001 0 -- 4 3 1
WNCC 000 219 x -- 12 8 3
WP -- Trevor Kriesel; 2B -- Josh Bride; 3B -- Max Brennan 2; HR -- Jake Vore 2.
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