WNCC baseball sweeps Otero Sunday

LaJUNTA, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team kept it’s bid for hosting the Region IX tournament in May alive after sweeping Otero Junior College in a doubleheader 9-5 and 7-2 Sunday.

The Cougars moved to 6-2 in league play with Sunday’s wins and trail Northeastern Junior College, who is 5-1 in league play. NJC played McCook Monday in Sterling, Colo. WNCC and NJC will hook up in a four-game series Saturday and Sunday at Cleveland Field.

WNCC played much better Sunday then Saturday when they won 4-2 and 3-2. In Sunday’s contests, Gering’s Travis Lindhorst belted a 3-run home run in the fifth inning to open up a 9-3 lead.

WNCC pounded out 10 hits in the win including a 3-for-4 performance from Marco Moreno, and a 2-for-4 performance from Carson Cook. Cook also drove in three runs, stored twice and had two stolen bases. Moreno had one RBI and one stolen base.

Lindhorst, though, was the big hitter with the 3-run shot in the fifth inning.

Greg Crowe picked up the win going 3 2/3 innings. Crowd, the righthander from Parker, Colo., allowed three hits, struck out three and walked three.

In the second game, Todd Stachura pitched a complete game, scattering seven hits, while striking out two. Stachura gave up just two runs, one being earned.

Offensively, the Cougar bats stayed hot by scoring three times in the opening inning only to see Otero bounce back with two of their own for a 3-2 first-inning score. Stachura settled down after the first baffling the Rattler hitters.

WNCC, in the meantime, pounded 10 hits in the win. Abraham Cervantez paced the Cougars with a 2-2 performance, including a double and one RBI. Gilbert Gonzalez continued his torrid hitting with a 3-for-4 performance with three RBIs and two stolen bases.

Daniel Martinez and Richie Stewart also hit with authority. Stewart went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Martinez was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.

WNCC, now 11-15 on the season, will host Northeastern Junior College this weekend.

Region IX Baseball Standings
Region IX Overall
Team Record Record
NE Colorado 5–1 16 -7-1
Western Neb. 6-2 11-15
McCook C.C. 3-3 11-9
Lamar C.C. 4-4 15-14
Trinidad State 3-5 18-16
Otero J.C. 1-7 3-15

Monday’s Games
McCook at Northeastern JC
Wednesday’s Games
Northeastern JC at Colorado State
McCook at Hastings College
Friday’s Games
Trinidad State at Otero
McCook at Lamar
Saturday’s Games
Trinidad State at Otero
Northeastern JC at WNCC
McCook at Lamar
Sunday’s Games
Northeastern JC at WNCC