The
Western Nebraska Community College baseball team knows first had that the
difference between a win and a loss could be one bad inning.
That
is exactly what happened Wednesday afternoon against Northeastern Junior
College. The Plainsmen erupted for nine, first-inning runs en route to an
Empire Conference 14-5 win over the Cougars.
The
loss was WNCC's 13th straight and it doesn't get any easier for the Cougars in
snapping that streak as they face league-leading Lamar Community College in a
four-game series at Cleveland Field this weekend.
The
Plainsmen's explosive start was a matter of them hitting the ball. NJC pounded
out nine hits in scoring its nine runs, while sending 14 batters to the plate.
The big hit in the first inning was a grand slam by Scott Hoyt. Hoyt finished
the contest a single shy of hitting for the cycle, collecting a triple in the
sixth and a 2-run double in the eighth. Hoyt finished the game with six RBIs
and two runs scored.
After
the first inning, though, the Cougars settled in and played the Plainsmen even.
One of the big reasons for that was the pitching of Jeff Schmitt, who tossed
six 2/3 innings in allowing just four runs and 10 hits.
NJC
went up 10-0 in the fourth before WNCC started to collect some hits together.
North Platte's Zach Ostergard started the inning with a single followed by a
double by Ernesto Punales. Ostergard later scored on a wild pitch for the
Cougars' first run of the game followed by Punales scoring on a ground out to
third to cut the lead to 10-2.
NJC
came back with single runs in the fifth and sixth to go up 12-2. In the
seventh, facing the 10-run rule, the Cougars knew they had to score and they
did. Tre Meier started the magic rally with a double down the leftfield line.
Meier then came in to score on a one-out double by Punales. Punales scored the
second run on a single by Tyler Wiens. WNCC then ran itself out of more runs
with runners in scoring position.
The
Plainsmen went back up by 10, 14-4 with two runs in the eighth, including a
2-run double by Hoyt. But relieve pitcher Terry McNabb settled down and induced
three easy put outs to end the threat.
WNCC
once again faced the dreaded 10-run rule but managed to keep the game alive by
scoring one run and could have had more, after leaving the bases loaded.
Amazingly enough, the Cougars run came via free passes as NJC walked the bases
loaded and then Punales was plunked with a pitch to bring in a run. WNCC,
however, couldn't get a clutch hit to bring the team back even further.
WNCC
stranded six base runners on the day whle tallying nine hits. NJC's offense was
even more explosive as the Plainsmen 20 hits and stranded just six runners.
The
Cougars was paced by Punales with a 2-for-3 contest with two doubles, two RBIs
and two runs scored. Jake Vore also had two hits in the contest, going 2-for-5
with a double. Also registering doubles for WNCC included Max Brennen and
Meier.
Hoyt
led the Plainsmen's attack with his 3-for-5 night. Also collecting three hits
for NJC was JOsh Montano with two singles, a double, and two runs scored.
Trevor
Kriesel suffered the loss on the mound, lasting just a third of an inning in
giving up eight runs on six hits and striking out one. Schmitt followed with 6
2/3 work followed by Terry McNabb.
With
the win, NJC and Lamar are deadlocked on top of the conference standings with
19-5 marks. WNCC, which was in fourth place, dropped to fifth with a 6-14 mark
just one game behind Trinidad State, who beat third place Otero 3-2 on
Wednesday.
NJC (35-14) 900
111 020 -- 14 20 0
WNCC (11-30) 000
020 210 -- 5 9 0
LP -- Trevor Kriesel; 2B -- Max Brennen, Jake Vore, Tre
Meier, Ernesto Punales 2.
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