The
Western Nebraska Community College baseball team had plenty of opportunities in
trying to stop a its losing streak, but they fell short in dropping a
doubleheader to Lamar Community College 9-3 and 5-2 on Sunday afternoon at
Cleveland Field.
The
Cougars, who have now dropped 17-straight, are 6-18 in conference play and still
in the hunt for the final playoff berth. But, for that to happen, they need
things to happen to register that fourth and final spot.
WNCC trails Trinidad State who
is 10-15 in conference play and Otero Junior College, 13-13, in conference
play. The Cougars will tangle with Otero at Cleveland Field this weekend in a
key Empire Conference four-game set.
The
game, however, might not mean too much if Trinidad State can win three of its
final five conference games. Trinidad has a single game with Lamar, and
doubleheaders with Northeastern Junior College and McCook on the horizon.
For
the Cougars, they had opportunities to squeeze out one win on Sunday in game
two. WNCC stranded eight runners on base. The difference in the game was a
four-run fourth inning for the Runnin’ Lopes, who had just three hits in the
inning, including a lead-off double by Mitch Robinson and a single and a
run-scoring single by Tony Schicktanz.
Other
than that one inning, WNCC stayed with the league-leading Lopes. After Lamar
scored a single run in the second on a Robinson double and Schicktanz single,
the Cougars came right back to put up a run of their own. Greg Spurgin led off
by reaching on an error. After a sacrifice, Ernesto Punales and Andy Padron
each had singles to help to score Spurgin. But, WNCC left both runners
stranded.
After
Lamar went up 5-1 in the fourth, the Cougars continued their fight back,
plating a single run, but could have had more. Zach Ostergard led off with a
single. Punales then singled to put two on the bath paths with no outs. Trevor
Kriesel came through with a 2-out single to score one run to cut the lead to
5-2.
After
that WNCC relief pitcher Nick Hernandez shut down the Lamar bats, allowing just
one hits in the final three innings. As for WNCC, they had a 2-out rally in the
fifth as Spurgin singled and Ostergard was plunked by a pitch to put runners
on, but nothing came of the rally.
Both
teams each had eight hits. WNCC was led by Punales with a 2-for-3 game. The
difference in the game was Lamar had three extra-base hits – three doubles.
Goings
suffered the loss on the mound, going four innings in giving up seven hits,
five runs and striking out three. Hernandez went three innings in allowing one
hit, one walk and striking out three.
The
first game started strong for the Cougars, but the middle innings proved the
difference. Lamar scored twice in the second off a 2-run home run by Ben Lahn.
The
Cougars answered with a single run in the bottom of the second as Nick
Vanthillo walked followed by back-to-back singles by Tyler Wiens and Punales to
slice the lead to 2-1.
Lamar
came back to score twice in the third and three times in the third for a 7-1
lead. Lamar added to the lead with back-to-back solo home runs by Garrett Yost
and Jackson Gooch.
WNCC
tried a seventh-inning, 2-out rally as Max Brennen and Andy Padron were plunked
with a pitch. Jake Vore then had an infield hit to load the bases. Benly Ramos
then got a single that scored two runs, but that was it for the rally.
The
two teams combined for 24 hits with Lamar getting 16 and WNCC eight. Once
again, Lamar had nine extra-base hits, including three home runs and six
doubles. The Cougars had just one extra base hit, a double by Padron. Vore led
the offensive attack with a 3-for-4 game.
Jeff
Schmitt took the loss despite pitching well. The Cheyenne, Wyo., native went
five innings in giving up seven runs on 13 hits and striking out four. Chris
Nadon, another Cheyenne native, finished off the contest by going two innings
and giving up three hits and two runs.
The
Cougars will be back in action Wednesday when they travel to McCook Community
College for a must-win conference game.
First Game
Lamar 022
302 0 – 9 16 0
WNCC 010
000 2 – 3 8 0
LP – Jeff Schmitt; 2B – Andy Padron
Second Game
Lamar 010
400 0 – 5 8 1
WNCC 010
100 0 – 2 8 2
LP – Dalton Goings.
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