Baseball team falls to Northeastern Colorado, still in second place in conference race

Submitted by Jeremy Woznick, Star-Herald Sports Reporter

STERLING, Colo. - A slow start doomed the Western Nebraska Community College baseball team in its trip south to face Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo., on Wednesday afternoon.

The Cougars spotted the Plainsmen a 7-0 lead through three innings of play and never recovered in dropping an 8-4 decision.

Despite the setback, WNCC still clings to second place in the Empire Conference standings just in front of Lamar Community College. The Cougars have already locked up a playoff spot in the regional tournament. The top two teams in the regional standings at the end of the regular season will host a first-round playoff series in the tournament beginning on May 1.

Trinidad State Junior College has already wrapped up the regular-season title and the tournament's top seed.

On Wednesday against the Plainsmen, WNCC found itself in a hole early as NJC erupted for five runs in the first inning, including a grand slam.

Trailing 7-0, the Cougars plated one run in the fourth on Alex Arias lead-off solo home run, one in the eighth and added two more in the ninth.

"We struggled right from the get-go by giving them five runs without even getting an out," WNCC coach Mike Jones said. "We didn't start the game very well and we had a hard time overcoming it throughout the day. We just need to get off to a better start. Our starting pitchers have to go out and control the game a lot better than that."

Gustavo Sanchez took the loss on the mound for the Cougars. Sanchez (3-3) lasted just one inning. Ben Doran relieved Sanchez and struck out two in seven innings of work out of the bullpen.

NJC out-hit WNCC 13-11 in the game.

The Cougars were led offensively by Arias, who went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and a run batted in. Anthony Paniagua went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, while Oscar Rodriquez and Ronald Miller both had doubles and a run batted in. Josh Parker also drove in a run for the Cougars.

WNCC will close out its regular-season with five straight home games. The Cougars will open the home stand on Friday at 3 p.m. against McCook Community College before hosting Trinidad State in a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.

"We're in the playoffs. Now, it's just a matter of seeing where we're going to be seeded," Jones said. "We have an opportunity to hold onto the No. 2 seed and host some playoff games here at home. I definitely prefer to be at home and our guys prefer to be at home."

WNCC (23-24) 000 100 012 - 4 11 1
NJC (18-23) 502 100 00x - 8 13 4
WP - Huggens; LP - Gustavo Sanchez (3-3).
2B - Alex Arias, Ronald Miller; HR -- Alex Arias