Friday, April 12, 2013

WNCC, Trinidad split baseball games

                The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team had to settle for a split with Trinidad State Junior College Saturday afternoon at Cleveland Field in Empire Conference action.
               In the opening game, Ozzy Gonzalez had a grand slam in helping the Cougars to a five-inning 15-5 win. Trinidad State came back in the second game, scoring seven runs in the final two innings and took advantage of nine Cougar errors to register a 7-5 win.
               WNCC coach Mike Jones was pleased with how they played in the opening game and then was set back in the late-inning loss.
               "We found a bunch of ways to score some runs and they gave us some extra scoring opportunities and we took advantage of," he said. "The second game we didn't play very good defensively. We had plenty of opportunities to score some runs, but it was our mistakes defensively is what cost us that game."
               However, the Cougars took three of four from the Trojans in the series and are in fourth place in the conference standings with a 4-6 mark. Trinidad is right behind with a 5-10 record. No. 1 Lamar, who lost on Wednesday to Colby and then Saturday to Northeastern Colorado, is 14-1 followed by NJC at 9-6, and Otero at 7-9
               Jones said winning conference games is vital and this team is playing well right know, take away the last two innings of the second game.
               "Taking three of four games in conference and taking care of home field advantage is what is important," Jones said. "It is a god opportunity for us to start gaining some momentum. You just have to feel bad that the last game slipped away from us. But we are definitely playing better and gaining momentum."
               The Cougars scored their first three runs on passed balls to take a 3-2 lead. WNCC then opened up the game in the third with eight runs on just three hits. The Cougars took advantage of six walks in the inning. The big hit was Gonzalez' one-out grand slam to put WNCC up 11-2.
               Trinidad game back with three runs in the fifth, but the Cougars responded in the bottom of the frame with four runs on five hits. The Cougars received singles from Gonzalez, Pablo Garcia, and Gabriel DeLa Rosa followed by back-to-back doubles by Keeton Krause and Anthony Delgado for the win.
               Gonzalez paced the team with a 3-for-4 game with four RBIs and two runs scored. DeLa Rosa and Delgado each added two RBIs.
               Grant Rimington picked up the win from the mound. The Gering High graduate went five innings, allowing five runs on six hits.
               The Cougars started the second game like they did the first contest. WNCC scored twice in the first and then had single runs int he third and fifth to take a 4-0 lead.
               Trinidad came back in the sixth with five runs on just two errors, but took advantage of two errors and several walks for a 5-4 lead.
               WNCC came back right away to tie the game with a single run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by David Martinez that scored Delgado.
               Trinidad went up 7-5 in the seventh on just one hit and three costly errors. WNCC, however, had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the frame as Alex Michaud was hit by a pitch and Garcia earned a walk. The two, however, were left stranded in scoring position.
               Michaud was the only Cougar with multiple hits, going 2-for-3.
               John Timmins picked up the loss, pitching the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on just one hit and striking out one. Nick Vanthillo started the game and went 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on five hits, while striking out three.
               WNCC, 11-21, will be back in action Wednesday when they host McCook in a 9-inning game beginning at 2 p.m.

First Game
Trinidad               020 03 -- 5 6 2
WNCC                  128 04 -- 15 9 4
WP -- Grant Rimington; 2B -- Keeton Krause, Anthony Delgado; HR -- Ozzy Gonzalez.

Second Game
Trinidad               000 005 2 -- 7 6 2
WNCC                  201 011 0 -- 5 8 9
LP -- John Timmins; 2B -- Zach Ostergard, Gonzalez, Alex Michaud.

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