The The second-game victory was sweet for the Cougars as they rebounded from a tough 9-2 first-game defeat to the Runnin’ Lopes , which helped them remain atop the Empire Conference standings by two games over
WNCC is now 13-7 in conference play, while NJC and
8. Lamar drops to 15-9 in the conference. The Cougars will be back in action today when they host “[Leading the conference] is a good feeling and we have two games against Otero [today] and we need to come out and play hard and finish up the year strong and hopefully we can have the conference tournament here at the end of the year,” sophomore Richie Stewart said. “We want to host the regional tournament bad.”
WNCC coach Mike Jones said that second game win was huge, especially since his team was flat in game one. “We made some mistakes early and we didn’t panic. We didn’t get down on ourselves. We just kind of stayed with it,” Jones said. “We understood that we are good enough to come right back and that is what happened. I thought we put really good swings on the ball and we got guys on base. We created a lot of scoring opportunities. Even like today with the wind blowing on it is hard to come back with hits, but we were able to get things done.”
The Cougars scored runs in every inning but one. The big inning was the sixth inning, which the team pounded out seven hits and scored eight runs to break a 6-6 tie. The big blow was a 2-RBI double by Stewart that ignited the team. “I went up there looking right-center,” Stewart said. “I got my pitch and hit it right-center.”
Stewart’s double scored Daniel Martinez and Pedru Suarez, who collected singles to rightfield right before Stewart. The
n, After Stewart’s bit hit, the Cougars connected on three singles and took advantage of two walks, to add to the run explostion and the 14-6 lead.“We really stepped up offensively and got it done,” Jones said. “We got guys in scoring position late in the game and came up with really big hits. Richie Stewart has been a guy for us two years now and he stepped up and hit that double that opened up the gates. Our bullpen was also outstanding. [Jeff] McDonald walked some guys and gave them some scoring opportunities, but he pitched well. Then, Cuadra, out of the bullpen, and Bauer were outstanding.
McDonald went four innings, striking out six and allowing three hits. Cuadra came in and pitched the fifth and sixth striking out one and giving up two hits, before Dan Bauer closed out the Runnin’ Lopes’ bats.
Offensively, the Cougars were golden at the plate.
Also collecting multiple hits were Travis Lindhorst with a single and triple; Gilbert Gonzalez with two singles and an RBI, and Suarez with three singles, two RBIs and two runs scored.
As much as the team hit the ball in game two, they team fell flat in game one. WNCC managed just six hits compared to 15 for Lamar. Lindhorst and Suarez each collected two hits. Lindhorst had two single, a run scored and a stolen base, while Suarez had a double, single, run scored and RBI.
Phillips Orta collected the loss on the mound, going seven innings. Orta struck out just one, while walking five.
Jones said that the split keeps the Cougars in control of their own destiny in hosting the regional tournament. Now, they have to take care of business today when Otero comes to town.
“We are still two games up and that second game was really big for us and it puts us in a real good position from here on out,” he said. “We made that mistake last week and we can’t take Otero lightly. We just need to continue playing well offensively and get some good pitching [today].” First Game
Lamar 131 101 2 — 9 15 1
WNCC 100 010 0 — 2 5 0
WP – Willy Kesler; LP — Orta; 2B — Lamar (Austin Buck, Keegan Bassett).
Lamar 104 010 0 — 6 5 1
WNCC 221 108 x — 14 17 2
WP — Cuadra; LP — Jim Morgan; 2B — WNCC (Stewart), Lamar (Morgan); 3B — WNCC (Lindhorst).
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