The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team's base running literally stole a conference game away from Northeastern Junior College in the Cougar's home opener Thursday at Cleveland Field. The Cougars took advantage of three late-inning Plainsmen errors to register a 9-6 Empire Conference win. It was the Cougars third straight win and their ninth in the month of March.
"We had real solid baserunning today and we were real aggressive," WNCC coach Mike Jones said. "We caught them [NJC] sleeping a little bit and took advantage of it."
It definitely was heads-up baserunning that pushed the momentum the Cougars way. The two Region IX powers were knotted after five complete innings at 4-4. WNCC changed the complexion of the game in a heartbeat with gutsy running in the seventh inning. Josh Parker started things by reaching on an error. After a sacrifice bunt, Jared Baros and Trace Marsden earned walks to load the bases.
Kevin Sanford then fouled out to NJC's firstbaseman by the Plainsmen's dugout. Parker, however, tagged up on the catch, catching the Plainsmen off guard, scoring the go-ahead run.
WNCC wasn't through. A couple pitches later and with runners at the corners, Marsden started to steal second base. NJC pitcher Tyler Schmunk started to throw to second, but did an 180 and threw home to catch Baros who was stealing home. The throw sailed to the backstop and Marsden rounded second and then third to score the third run of the inning.
"If we can get guys on base, we can really run the bases. We have a lot of team speed, and that is what we were able to do," Jones said. "We got guys on base and then we caused some havoc."
NJC came back in the eighth inning, slicing the lead to one at 7-6. With one out, Ben Netzel walked and then Mike Goldy reached on an error. Netzel later scored on a throwing error to third, while Goldy scored on a single by Bryor Nittmann.
The Cougars answered in the bottom half of the inning. Jason Sloan started things with a walk. Elvis Garcia then sacrificed Sloan to second. Camil Baldelomar followed with a single to put runners at the corners. After Baldelomar stole second, Nelson Quintero singled in Sloan and Baldelomar for the 9-6 lead.
Tim Beard, who is slated for the start on Sunday against Monday, pitched the final inning in throwing just 10 pitches. Beard gave up an inning-opening single to Jose Rosario, but then Quintero turned a double-play.
"We really struggled there in that fourth inning and had trouble throwing strikes," Jones said. "We gave them a lot of free bases. But, we were able to get through it and we didn't panic. We got through the game by going to the bullpen and everybody came up big from the bullpen."
Rodil Martinez earned the win on the mound by throwing the sixth and seventh innings. Martinez faced just eight batters, not allowing a hit or a run. Carlos Luzon started the game and gave up four runs on four hits and walked four and hit one.
Jones said the one thing that he was impressed with was the team's balanced lineup. WNCC received run support throughout the nine batters. Parker and Quintero paced the team with two hits each. Parker was 2-of-5 with two runs scored and a RBI, while Quintero was 2-for-4 with two singles and three RBIs. Baros and Baldelomar each scored two runs, while Marsden had the only extra base hit with a double.
"We are getting a lot better as an offensive team," Jones said. "Our at bats keep getting better and we are more disciplined. Everybody is starting to step up. We are becoming a powerful lineup one through nine."
WNCC will be next in action Sunday and Monday when they host McCook Community College in conference games. The games were originally slated for Saturday and Sunday, but were moved because of forecasted bad weather on Saturday.
The Cougars will then face Northeastern Colorado in another 9-inning game on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Jones said that Beard will get the start in the first game and Julio Davila in the second game in Sunday's games with McCook.
"We are in the conference season now where every game starts to mean something," he said. "We are on a little bit of a winning streak right know. We are hoping to stay with the momentum, keep getting better and stay aggressive."
NJC (11-15-1) 000 400 020 -- 6 7 3
WNCC (9-18) 001 120 32x -- 9 9 2
WP -- Rodil Martinez, LP -- Tyler Schmunk; 2B -- WNCC (Trace Marsden), NJC (Jose Rosario).
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