The Cougars had 10 hits in the contest, but stranded nine base runners in scoring position.
WNCC coach Mike Jones said this is a game his team can learn from this loss heading into a crucial Empire Conference four-game series against Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo., on Saturday and Sunday.
"We have some important conference games coming up on Saturday and Sunday down at NJC," Jones said. "It will be important for us to use this as a learning experience, bounce back and play well this weekend."
Jones said that they tried to use several pitchers that hadn't pitched much this season, just to get them some time on the mound. Hopefully, the team will bounce back. NJC is currently sitting in last place in the conference standings after falling to McCook Community College 4-2 Thursday afternoon.
" NJC is an important weekend and we will bounce back with our conference pitching," Jones said. "We tried to get some guys some innings tonight; some guys that hadn't an opportunity to pitch much. We will bounce back with our conference guys and I am sure our whole team will respond. "
The Cougars didn't play bad against Colorado State. In fact, after spotting them two runs in the top of the first inning, the Cougars batted around in the bottom of the inning in taking a 3-2 lead. After the Cougars loaded the bases, Nelson Quintero hit a sharp single up the middle to score two runs. Moments later, after Caleb Patton walked to load the bases, Kevin Sanford reached base on an error scoring another run for the 3-2 lead.
The game stayed that way until the third inning when Colorado State unloaded for six runs, including a 2-run home run by Cade Lehl for a 8-3 lead.
WNCC scored once more in the fourth inning as Alliance's Jake Peltz singled and came around to score on Elvis Garcia's double to make the score 12-4
Colorado State added for more runs in the fifth off a grand slam, and then plated three runs in the sixth for the Ram's final runs.
"They knocked it around pretty good," Jones said. "We gave them pitches right down the middle of the plate and they didn't miss them. They flat beat us and out hit us. This is an opportunity for us to learn from. We don't need to fold."
WNCC had plenty of chances as they left nine runners in scoring position.
"We had some pretty good at bats and we had plenty of guys on base," Jones said. "We are an offense that needs to manufacture runs and when you get down by that many runs and you can't do some of those things to get one run at a time, it makes it tough on us."
David Castle took the loss, throwing just one inning and giving up six runs on five hits.
The Cougars had four guys finish with multiple hits. Sanford finished with a 2-for-4 game including a RBI. Patton went 2-for-3 with a walk, while Garcia went 2-for-3 with a runs scored, double and an RBI. Jason Sloan also had two hits -- two singles -- while scoring a run.
Colorado State 206 443 0 -- 19 16 1
WNCC (16-21) 300 100 0 -- 4 10 1
LP -- David Castle; 2B -- Garcia.
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