Baseball splits with Odessa on Sunday

                ODESSA, Texas – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team split a doubleheader on Sunday against Odessa College in Odessa, Texas.

                The Cougars pounded out 11 hits and John Timmins went five strong innings in powering WNCC to the 12-2 win.

                WNCC, however, couldn’t rid the offensive spark of the first game, tallying just one hit while falling 3-1 in game two. The Cougars finished the four-game, weekend series with Odessa going 1-3.

                Sunday’s first game was a huge lift for the Cougars, who were defeated 15-0 and 9-2 to the Wranglers. A big reason for the offensive punch was the team’s hitting as they pounded out 11 hits, including five extra base hits.

                Ozzie Gonzalez was the big hitter for the Cougars, going 2-for-3 with a double and a home run. He also scored two runs and had two RBIs. JT Core, Keeton Krause, and Nick Vanthillo each contributed two hits each.

                The big inning for the Cougars was the second, where they plated six runs on five hits. The Cougars loaded the bases before Anthony Delgado ripped a two run-scoring single. WNCC kept finding the sweet spot on the bat as Core had a run-scoring single before Gonzalez doubled to centerfield to score another run for a 6-1 lead.

                WNCC pushed the lead to 10-2 with four runs in the fourth on three extra base hits. Core got things started with a solo home run to rightfield that was followed by a solo shot by Gonzalez to centerfield. Krause followed with a double that scored two runs.

                The Cougars added two more runs in the sixth. Vanthillo had a run-scoring single followed by Zach Ostergard with a run-scoring double.

                Timmins and Krause combined on a four-hitter. Timmins gave up four runs on two hits. The freshman from Bellevue also walked four and struck out four. Krause threw one inning, walking two but striking out three.

                The second game saw the Cougars nearly get no-hit. In fact, Odessa pitcher Jacob DelaCruz had a perfect game going through 4 2/3 innings before Pablo Garcia reached on an error with two outs in the fifth inning. DelaCruz then plunked David Martinez with a pitch. Garcia later came around to score on an error.

                DelaCruz took the no hitter into the seventh before WNCC’s Cameron Snyder singled to centerfield to break up the no-hit gem.

                Wright picked up the loss despite throwing well. Wright went five innings in scattering four hits and allowing three runs. The right-hander also struck out six and did not allow a walk.

                WNCC, 2-6, will be back in action this weekend for a five-game series against Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kan.

First Game

WNCC                   060 402 – 12 11 2

Odessa                 110 000 – 2 4 2

WP – John Timmins; 2B – Ozzie Gonzalez, Zach Ostergard, Keeton Krause; HR – JT Core, Gonzalez.

Second Game

WNCC                   000 010 0 – 1 1 2

Odessa                 012 000 x – 3 4 2

LP – Challis Wright.