Cougar baseball team splits games in Arizona

Submitted By Jeremy Woznick, Star-Herald Sports Reporter

PHOENIX - The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team posted another win on its seven-game spring break road trip Wednesday evening in Phoenix.

The Cougars registered a 2-1 win over Phoenix College in the first game of a doubleheader. Phoenix College bounced back to salvage the twinbill with a 6-3 win in game two.
WNCC, now 6-16 overall, has won five of its last eight games.

"I'm really pleased that we're playing better," WNCC coach Mike Jones said. "We're making strides in the right direction."

In Wednesday's victory, the Cougars received more strong work on the mound. Three different WNCC hurlers combined to allow just three hits in seven innings.

Jacob Stutzman earned the win in relief of starter Carlos Palomo. Stutzman didn't allow a run in three innings of work. He allowed just two hits. JC Morales picked up the save after pitching a perfect seventh inning to shut the door.

"We had great pitching out of the bullpen in the first game," Jones said. "Stutzman and Morales did a great job."
Offensively in the game, Jared Baros had a run-scoring double in the second inning and Elvis Garcia added a run-scoring single in the fifth. Shane Wade went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
In game two, WNCC plated a pair of runs in the top of the third to knot the score at 2-2. But Phoenix College responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to go in front for good.
Sidney Jones took the loss on the mound. He allowed three runs on just three hits in three innings of work. Jones walked four. John Bravard pitched two innings out of the bullpen and David Castle worked one.

"In the second game we had trouble throwing strikes," Coach Jones said. "We just couldn't find the strike zone enough and that made it hard to keep them from scoring runs."

All six of WNCC's hits in the game were singles. Kevin Sanford collected two hits and scored one run. Trace Marsden scored two runs, while Sloan and Garcia both drove in runs.

WNCC will be back in action this afternoon against Seminole State Community College out of Oklahoma. The teams will compete in one nine-inning contest. Jones said Tim Beard will get the start on the mound for the Cougars.

Game One
WNCC 010 010 0 - 2 8 3
Phoenix College 001 000 0 - 1 3 3
WP - Jacob Stutzman. S - JC Morales.
2B - Jared Baros, Shane Wade.

Game Two
WNCC (6-16) 002 010 0 - 3 6 1
Phoenix College 110 301 x - 6 7 1
LP - Sidney Jones.