WNCC takes two from McCook, evens conference record at 4-4

The Western Nebraska Community College used the long ball to perfection Monday against McCook Community College in the sweep over the Indians.

The Cougars trailed 6-0 in game one and then used two fifth-inning home runs off the bats of Greg Crowd and Rich Miller to get the win 7-6. The team continued their offensive explosion in game two, pounding out 11 hits, in registering the 8-0 win to even the Cougar’s Empire Conference record at 4-4.

The first game comeback was definitely the momentum changer on the day.

“We have been having trouble pitching and like we have done in the past, our hitting gets us back into the games,” sophomore pitcher/centerfielder Greg Crowe said. “We kept fighting finally tying it in the bottom of the fifth and winning it in the bottom of the seventh.”

Crowe was just one of the heroes in the first game win. McCook quickly took a 6-0 lead after two innings on five hits and seemed as if they were going to easily win the game.

The Cougars fought back scoring twice in the third inning as Crowe and Rudy Soto walked. Crowe scored on a groundout and then Rich Miller singled to score Soto with the second run to slice the lead to 6-2.

The Cougars tied the game in the fifth on four hits, including two home runs. Crowe started things with a shot over the right-centerfield fence. Soto followed with a single and the Miller drilled a one-out pitch over the left-centerfield fence to cut the lead to 6-5.

With two outs, Aurelio Monteagudo walked and stole second base. Chris Hook then drilled a line shot to leftfield, in which the leftfielder let the ball roll to the fence for a triple to tie the game at 6-6.

The Cougars had an opportunity to go ahead in the sixth inning. Dustin Javins led off with a single and was sacrificed twice to third base before being stranded.

In the top of the seventh, McCook made a rally to go ahead, but clutch defense stopped the threat, including a routine 6-4-3 double play.

That gave the Cougars the opportunity they needed to win the game in their final at bat. Miller led off by reaching base after being plunked by a pitch. Miller was then lifted for pinch runner Zach Gillis. Carlos Garcia followed by ripping a shot to left field that scored Gillis from first base with the game-winner. It was Gillis’ second game-winning, pinch-running score in two days.

The Cougars received a strong pitching performance from Victor Rubio, who threw five innings after coming relief of starter Gustavo Sanchez. Rubio, as one time, put down 13 of 15 McCook batters. Soto threw to just two batters in the seventh inning to get the win.

WNCC was led from the plate by Miller with a 2-for-2 game, including a home run, three RBIs, and a run scored. Crowe was also 1-for-1 with a home run, two runs scored, an RBI and a walk.

The second game, the Cougars bats and defense came to play. WNCC pounded out 11 hits in the win, while the defense turned four double plays.

In fact, it was the defense that stood out the most. WNCC took a 3-0 lead in the second inning on five hits, including run-scoring doubles by Hook and David Monteagudo. In the third inning, McCook loaded the bases with no outs. That is when Hook single-handedly took control recording all three outs. First, the sophomore from Jewels, New South Wales, Australia, snared a line shot and stepped on first base to get the double play. Hook then recorded the third out on a fly out to take the momentum from the Indians.

WNCC added to their lead in the fourth as Crowe and Soto each singled. Susini then lofted a towering shot over the rightfield fence to put the Cougars up 6-0. WNCC added two more runs in the fifth for the final margin.

Jake Vulk picked up the win, throwing five innings and allowing two hits and striking out three.

WNCC had a multitude of players record multiple hit games. Aurelio Monteagudo went 3-for-4 with three singles and a run scored, Hook went 2-for-2 with a double, two runs scored, a stolen base, a RBI and two walks; Soto went 3-for-4 with a triple, a run scored and two RBIs; and Susini went 2-for-4 with a home run, a run scored and three RBIs.

Crowe said getting this doubleheader was crucial in for conference standings.

“These wins were really big because we dropped one (to Lamar) and then dropped two to Trinidad, so winning both of these games is really big for us,” he said. “It puts us at 4-4 in conference.”

WNCC, 10-9 after taking 3 of 4 from McCook Sunday and Monday, will be back in action Saturday when they begin their week-long Spring Break trip to Arizona, where they will face seven teams in six days.

First Game
McCook 240 000 0 – 6 8 1
WNCC 002 040 1 – 7 8 0WP – Rudy Soto; LP – Andrew Martinez; 3B – WNCC 1 (Hook); HR – WNCC 2 (Crowe, Miller).

Game Two
McCook 000 000 0 – 0 4 0
WNCC 030 320 x – 8 11 0
WP – Jake Vulk; LP – J.C. McKee; 2B – WNCC 2 (Hook, David Monteagudo), McCook 1 (Mitch Kenebrew); 3B – WNCC 1 (Soto); HR – WNCC 1 (Norbert Susini).