WNCC baseball team swept at Barton Community College

Submitted by Jeremy Woznick, Star-Herald Sports Reporter

GREAT BEND, Kan. - Early-season offensive woes continued to trouble the Western Nebraska Community College baseball team in a doubleheader against Barton County Community College Wednesday in Great Bend, Kan.

The Cougars mustered a total of just three runs in dropping both games by scores of 12-2 and 5-1. The setbacks dropped WNCC to 0-6 on the season.

"We did not play as well today as we did this past weekend. It was disappointing that we kind of took a few steps backward," WNCC coach Mike Jones said. "For us, this is par for the course. We've always struggled offensively early in the season. It just takes us a while to get going offensively."

WNCC finished the two games with just four hits.

In game one, Barton County jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two innings. The Cougars plated two runs in the top of the fifth inning to climb within 6-2, but Barton County answered with four runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth.

Barton County out-hit the Cougars in the game, 13-2.

Jared Baros had a run-scoring single for WNCC. Trace Marsden also drove in a run and scored a run. Elvis Garcia went 1-for-2 with a run scored.

Armani Gonzalez took the loss on the mound. He allowed six runs on seven hits in four innings of work. Gonzales struck out four.

In game two, Barton County moved out to a 5-0 lead through five innings. WNCC got its lone run of the game in the top of the fifth inning when Nelson Quintero singled home Marsden. The Cougars' other hit of the contest came off the bat of Shane Wade, who had a double.

Tim Beard took the loss on the mound. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits in four innings of work. Beard struck out two. David Castle pitched two innings in relief. He allowed just one hit and struck out one.

Jones said his ball club is getting a lot of early-season experience against teams from a tough conference.

"These are good teams that we are playing," Jones said. "This Jayhawk Conference always produces good teams. We're seeing good competition. The two pitchers that we saw today were better than what we saw against Garden City. They were pretty advanced for this early in the season."

The Cougars will be right back in action today in another doubleheader against Pratt Community College in Pratt, Kan. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Jones said Rodil Martinez will get the start in game one and Julio Davila will start game two.

Game One
WNCC 000 020 - 2 2 2
Barton County 240 042 - 12 13 1
LP - Armani Gonzalez (0-1).

Game Two
WNCC (0-6) 000 010 0 - 1 2 1
Barton County 012 200 x - 5 8 0
LP - Tim Beard (0-1).
2B - Shane Wade.