Western Nevada headed to JUCO World Series

Western Nevada Community College’s Chuck Howard had just at bats in Friday’s championship game of the Western District Baseball Tournament at Cleveland Field. After striking out in the seventh inning, he had the hit that sent the Wildcats to the NJCAA Junior College World Series with a 3-run blast to give WNCC a 13-10 win.

“This win is amazing. This is our first time going to the World Series. We are on the right track right now,” a jubilant Howard said after the game. “We are excited [to be going to nationals] and everyone is ready to go. But, we are not done yet, though.”

Western Nevada came into the Western District tournament as one of the underdogs, a team that is only in their second year. And, now they are headed to Grand Junction, Colo., next week for the World Series. Howard believes they should do well.

“We are deep in pitching and we are coming together hitting,” he said. “So, I think we will do well.”

It took some clutch hitting for the Wildcats to avoid a second game today in the Western District if Central Arizona would have held on for the win. And Howard’s shot was just part of a team win.

Western Nevada exploded out of the gates for a 6-0 lead through three innings behind a 3-run home run by Andy Reid. Central Arizona came storming back scoring seven runs in the fourth and fifth inning to grab a 7-6 lead.

The Vaqueres added another three runs in the seventh behind a 3-run shot to right field by Tony Pechek. It was Pechek’s second home run of the game.

The Wildcats fought back in the eighth inning scoring seven times on five hits. Western Nevada also took advantage of four walks and several passed balls before Howard’s monster hit.

“I was just trying to get a good pitch and trying to do whatever to help the team out,” Howard said of the go-ahead run. “

Western Nevada pounded out 16 hits in the game. Kyle Bondurant went 4-for-5 with four singles and three runs scored to lead the team. Also collecting multiple hits were Clifford Shepard with a 2-for-5 day, including a double; Thomas Miller going 2-for-3 with two RBIs; Reid going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs; Logan Parsley 2-for-5; and Taylor Mieres going 2-for-4.

Central Arizona also hit the ball with authority with 16 hits, led by Pechek’s 3-for-5 day, including two home runs, three runs scored and five RBIs.

JT Putt also had a home run in the game, a 3-run shot in the fourth inning to lead the Vaqueros.

Western Nevada, 39-22-2, will now advance to the NJCAA Junior College World Series that begin May 26 in Grand Junction, Colo.

Central Arizona 000 430 300 — 10 16 0
Western Nevada 321 000 07x — 13 16 1
WP — TJ Wohlever, Save – Stephen Sauer. LP – Austin Davis. 2B – WNCC (Shepard, Parsley);, CAC (Tooley); HR – WNCC (Howard, Reid), CAC (Pechek 2, Putt).