WNCC baseball swept at Trinidad State

Submitted by Jeremy Woznick, Scottsbluff Star-Herald sports reporter

TRINIDAD, Colo. - Missed opportunities plagued the Western Nebraska Community College baseball team in its Region IX-opening doubleheader at Trinidad State Junior College on Saturday in Trinidad, Colo.

The Cougars dropped both games of the twinbill by scores of 6-3 and 7-2.

"We had plenty of opportunities on offense that just didn't work out for us," WNCC coach Mike Jones said. "We had runners on base in both games. We need to take advantage of those situations and do a better job of moving runners into scoring position."

The Cougars and Trojans will hook up in a nine-inning game today. The game won't be counted in the regional standings.

In game one on Saturday, WNCC was held to just a single run through five innings before Aurelio Monteagudo belted a two-run home run in the top of the sixth to bring the Cougars within 5-3. However, Trinidad State scored an insurance run in the bottom of the inning to put down WNCC's rally.

The Cougars mustered just four hits against Trinidad State starter Ryan Salt. The big right-hander from Colorado Springs pitched all seven innings to earn the win for the Trojans.
Victor Rubio took the loss on the mound for WNCC. Rubio (1-2) allowed four runs on five hits and struck out one.

In game two, WNCC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning on Monteagudo's two-run double. However, the lead was short-lived as the Trojans knotted the score at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning.

Trinidad State erupted for five runs in the bottom of the sixth to prevail.

Bo McLavey limited WNCC to just four hits in registering the complete-game win on the mound for the Trojans. David Castle (1-1) took the loss on the mound for the Cougars out of the bullpen.
WNCC starter Enrique Gonzalez lasted just three innings on the hill before being removed because of a sore elbow. Jones said Gonzalez will be examined further on Monday. In his brief stint on the mound, Gonzalez allowed just two hits and fanned two.

Monteagudo led WNCC offensively in game two by going 2-for-3. Jason Sloan went 1-for-1.

"The second game we let get away from us a little bit," Jones said. "It's tough to go 0-2 to open the conference schedule, but we're only going to get better as we go."

WNCC dropped to 4-9 on the season. Trinidad State is now 12-5.

Game One
WNCC 010 002 0 - 3 4 2
Trinidad State 201 111 x - 6 8 3
WP - Ryan Salt. LP - Victor Rubio (1-2).
HR - Aurelio Monteagudo.

Game Two
WNCC (4-9) 002 000 0 - 2 4 3
Trinidad State (12-5) 002 005 x - 7 6 1
WP - Bo McLavey. LP - David Castle (1-1).
2B - Monteagudo.