LA JUNTA, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team opened Empire Conference competition with a doubleheader sweep over Otero Junior College Saturday afternoon in La Junta, Colorado.
The Cougars opened the doubleheader with a 13-hit attack that saw WNCC score eight runs in the first two innings in cruising to the 13-7 win. The second game saw WNCC hold back a seventh inning Otero come back to prevail 10-8.
WNCC will next be in action Sunday when they travel to Ft. Collins to face the Colorado State Club team in a doubleheader.
Saturday, though, WNCC started the conference doubleheader with plenty of confidence, scoring four runs in the first and second innings, and then plating five runs in the last three innings.
The Cougars finished with 13 hits in the contest with only one extra base hit, a double by Ryan Grasser. Grasser led the team with three hits including two runs scored.
Isaac Taylor and Brock Randels each had two hits as well with both players getting two runs scored and two RBIs. Stuart Eurich also chipped in two hits with three RBIs and three walks.
WNCC used their speed in the game to generate plenty of runs, swiping 10 stolen bases. Randels had three stolen bases, while Cole Williams and Lucas Piatchek each had two stolen bases.
Claude Bova picked up the win on the mound, going five innings in scattering seven hits and allowing four runs. Bova struck out four and walked two. Zac Moran finished off the game, tossing two innings in allowing two hits and striking out one.
The second game saw WNCC bring out the offense, especially Lincoln Trijillo who hammered two home runs and finished the game with five RBIs. Trujillo's bombs came in the third inning when he had a 2-run shot in a six-run third inning for the Cougars. His second home run came in the seventh inning with a 2-out, 3-run shot.
Also tallying multiple hits for the Cougars was Brandon Maher with three hits and Alex Achtermann with two hits. Achtermann had a double with two runs scored, while Maher had a RBI and a run scored. Isaac Taylor finished the game with two RBIs. Randels had a double in the win while Eurich had a triple.
Jacob Pekol picked up the win on the mound, going five innings allowing seven hits, four runs, and striking out seven. Achtermann picked up the save, despite allowing four runs and four hits.
First Game
WNCC 440 021 2 – 13 13 1
Otero 004 002 1 – 7 9 3
WP – Claude Bova; 2B – Ryan Grasser.
Second Game
WNCC 006 001 3 – 10 12 1
Otero 020 020 4 – 8 11 0
WP – Jacob Pekol, S – Alex Achtermann; 2B – Alex Achtermann, Brock Randels; 3B – Stuart Eurich; HR – Lincoln Trujillo 2.