The
Western Nebraska Community College baseball team used a seventh-inning rally in
game two to earn a split over Otero Junior College in Empire Conference play on
Friday at Cleveland Field.
The
second game saw Anthony Delgado score the winning run on a wild pitch in the
seventh to give the Cougars the 4-3 win. In the opener, the Cougars left the
bases loaded in the fifth and sixth in suffering the 5-4 defeat.
"For
early in our conference, it is important to get in the win column," WNCC
coach Mike Jones said. "We are not playing our best baseball yet so
getting a win is good for us."
The
big difference between games one and two was making the most of their
opportunities to score runs.
"in
the first game we definitely had our scoring opportunities and couldn't come up
with the big hit and then in we got some big hits in the second game,"
Jones said. "It is still a work in progress. Offensively we are still
trying to get better and make adjustments."
The
second game was definitely dramatic. Otero took a 2-0 lead in the second only
to watch Ozzie Gonzalez tie the game with one swing of the bat with a 2-run
home run in the fourth. Otero came back to score a single run in the sixth to
go up 3-2.
WNCC
answered in the bottom half of the frame with a single run as Cameron Snyder
singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Pablo Garcia.
WNCC
one the contest in the seventh as Anthony Delgado singled. Zach Ostergard
followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Delgado to second. A groundball hit
moved Delgado to third and then scored on the next pitch as the pitch went wild
for the win.
Both
teams finished with seven hits in the contest. Delgado, Snyder and Ryan Bender
each had two hits in the contest. Snyder scored two runs, while Gonzalez had
two RBIs.
Grant
Rimington picked up the win in pitching the seventh inning, allowing one hit.
Nick Vanthillo started the contest and gave up three runs on six hits.
Vanthillo struck out two in the contest.
Otero
scored a single run in the third only to watch WNCC tie the contest in the
fourth on a solo home run by Gonzales. Otero came back to plate four runs in
the fifth on five hits.
The
Cougars battled back with a single run int he fifth as Delgado scored off a
Snyder single. The Cougars cut the deficit to a single run in the sixth with
two runs on three singles. WNCC had a prime opportunity to win the game in the
seventh as the first two batters got on base before the next three all struck
out.
WNCC
outhit the Rattlers in the first game 9-8 with all nine starters getting one hit.
Snyder picked up two RBIs in the contest. Alex Michaud recorded a double and
Gonzalez had a home run.
Jones
said his team can hit, it is just getting that clutch hit to score the runs
when the need.
"We
got plenty of base hits today and they weren't cheap hits," he said.
"We were getting solid line-drive base hits. We are earning everything we
get and no one is giving it to us. We really have hit the ball well all season
long; it just seems when we hit it, it goes right to someone."
WNCC
(6-13, 1-5 conference) will next be in action Wednesday and Thursday when they
travel to take on defending national champions Iowa Western Community College.
Jones said they are ready for the challenge.
"We
are going to face a really good ball club when we get out there but that is OK,"
he said. "We are up to the challenge and we are looking forward to
it."
First Game
Otero 001
040 0 -- 9 8 2
WNCC 000
112 0 -- 4 9 0
WP -- Ian Martinez-McGraw, LP -- John Timmins, S -- Paul
Lujan; 2B -- WNCC (Alex Michaud), Otero (Alex Flores); HR -- WNCC (Ozzie
Gonzalez), Otero (Marcus Seward).
Second Game
Otero 002
002 0 -- 3 7 0
WNCC 000
201 1 -- 4 7 2
WP -- Grant Rimington; Lp -- Rolando Chavarria; 2B --
WNCC (Anthony Delgado), Otero (Landon Merka, Lujan, Jonathan McKay); HR -- WNCC
(Gonzalez).
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