The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team used the long ball to carry the Cougars to an Empire Conference win over Northeastern Junior College 9-5 Wednesday afternoon at Cleveland Field in Scottsbluff. Camilo Baldelomar and Shane Wade did most of the damage for the Cougars with clutch blasts over the leftfield fence. Baldelomar unleashed a 2-out, 3-run home run in the second inning and then Wade followed with a dramatic 2-run monster in the sixth to put WNCC in front for good.
It was the Cougars seventh in eight games and keeps the Cougars tied with Trinidad State for second place in conference standings with 7-3 marks. Trinidad State topped Otero 4-2 Wednesday afternoon. Lamar leads the conference with an 11-1 The Cougars will have a crucial four-game road series with Trinidad State this weekend.
Wednesday’s game, however, was a contest of big plays on defense and timely hitting on offense for the Cougars. Wade, who scored three of the Cougars’ nine runs from his lead-off spot, said they will take wins anyway they can get them.
“This was a pretty big win especially coming off a loss against McCook on Monday that we probably should have won,” he said. “We didn’t play our best baseball today, but we found a way to win.”
The Cougars didn’t play sparkling baseball falling behind 3-1 after one inning as the Plainsmen scored three times in the first inning on three hits. WNCC came back by scoring a single run as Wade was walked.
The Cougars chanced momentum dramatically in the second inning. With two outs, Wade reached base via a fielder’s choice. Jason Sloan followed after earning a walk. Elvis Garcia followed with a run-scoring single before Baldelomar unleashed his go-ahead home run.
NJC fought back tying the game with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. The big turning point in the game, however, came on defense in the fourth inning. NJC loaded the bases with just one out before the Cougars turned a double play by forcing a runner at home and then Sloan rifled the ball to first to complete the double play.
WNCC took the lead for good in the sixth as Trace Marsden led off with a single. Two batters later, Wade took a inside fastball and turned on the ball delivering it over the leftfield fence.
The Cougars added single insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings to pick up their 13th win of the season.
Wade said his team didn’t lose faith after the first-inning struggles.
“We knew it was a long game, a nine-inning game, and we had plenty of time to regroup and do what we needed to do to win,” he said. “The The bullpen did a good job coming in down the stretch. They really stopped their rallies. Defense played good and made the routine plays that we needed to.”
Luis Martinez picked up the win for the Cougars throwing 1 1/3 innings. Martinez entered the game in the sixth with the bases loaded and got NJC batter to ground out to shortstop to thwart any runs.
Wade said Martinez did a good job during his stint on the mound.
“He did a real good job,” he said. “He filled up the strike zone and made their hitters put it into play. Then the defense was there behind them.”
Carlos Luzon started the game and pitched well after the first inning. Luzon went five strong innings, giving up five runs, seven hits and striking out one. J.C. Morales finished off the game tossing the last two innings. The freshman from Miami struck out two and allowed two hits in the nine batters he faced.
NJC out hit the Cougars 11-10 as four different Cougars finished with multiple hits. Wade finished with a 2-for-4 performance including three runs scored, two RBIs and a home run. Sloan went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while Garcia went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Scottsbluff’s Marsden finished the game going 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Wade said they will have to play better this weekend when they face Trinidad in a four-game series on the road.
“We have been rolling lately and I think we finally figured out how we need to play,” he said. “This weekend is a good test for us to see how we are doing and where we are at.”
NJC (14-18-1) 300 110 000 – 5 11 1
WNCC (13-19) 140 002 11x – 9 10 3
WP – Luis Martinez, LP – Josh Bland; 2B – WNCC (Jason Sloan), NJC (Tyler Patterson); HR – Shane Wade, Camilo Baldelomar).
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