WNCC baseball set to open playoffs at home Friday

Last year, the Cougars failed to make the Region IX playoffs. This year, they left little doubt in securing a spot in the 4-team regional playoffs.

In fact, WNCC earned the No. 2 seed and will host a first round contest against Northeastern Junior College in a best 2-out-3 series. Action begins at 3 p.m. Friday and continues Saturday. Tickets for the regional playoffs are $3 for adults and $1 for students. No passes will be accepted.

WNCC catcher Jason Sloan, who sat out Sunday’s contests with a bruised hand, said the team is looking forward to the regional tournament.

“We need honor, pride courage and commitment in order to win the tournament,” he said.

Cesar Castro says the key to winning is the amount of heart they put into the games.

WNCC earned the right to host NJC by winning once against Trinidad State Junior College, and that was enough to give them the No. 2 seed. The other first-round contest has Lamar Community College traveling to No. 1 Trinidad State Junior College. The two first-round winners will battle for the Region IX championship next weekend at the home of the higher seed.

WNCC earned the right by topping Trinidad 3-2 on Sunday and they got the win by receiving a complete game pitching performance from Victor Rubio. WNCC, later, fell 7-6 to Trinidad State on Sunday.

Still, the way the Cougars bounced back from Saturday’s pounding at the hands and split a pair of one-run ball games on Sunday had WNCC coach Mike Jones pleased.

“We had a much better day today. We got a great pitching performance out of Victor Rubio. He threw a real big ball game,” Jones said. “He was able to run the ball inside on them and mix it up with a breaking ball and change it up with a change-up. That was a big game for us because it allowed us to lock up that second place spot in conference play and gives us [first round] home field in the conference playoffs.”

Rubio will be one of the pictures that will get a start this weekend in the first-round. Starting on Friday will be freshman Tim Kupfner, of Superior, Colo. Kupfner is 4-4 on the season and picked up a big complete-game win against McCook Community College 7-5.

Rubio is scheduled to pitch game two, but could come in from the bullpen in game one if needed.

NJC is a hot team, winning nine straight before falling 7-5 to Lamar Community College on Sunday. They bounced back to register an 8-6 win over Lamar, taking three of four from the Runnin’ Lopes. What makes the Plainsmen dangerous is their bats, including they are scoring runs left and right, averaging about seven runs a game.