BEATRICE, Neb. – The Western Nebraska Community College and Southeast Community College baseball teams hooked up in a thrilling Empire Conference doubleheader Sunday with each team grabbing one win.
In the opener, Southeast had a walk-off ninth-inning 3-2 win. The second game saw Brevin Owen get a sixth-inning 2-run home run to lift the Cougars to a 4-1 win.
The second game saw Hunter Parker toss a 2-hitter while striking out eight in picking up the win. Parker's pitching lifted the Cougars bats as they scored four runs to get the win.
Southeast scored first with a single run in the third. WNCC tied the game with a lone run in the fourth on a Dermot Fritsch single.
The Cougars went ahead with a 3-run sixth inning on three hits. Matt Womack led off with a single followed by a double by Mitch Osborne. Fritsch came through to score Womack and then Brevin Owen launched a 2-run home run to right field for the 4-1 lead.
WNCC outhit Southeast 8-2. Osborne and Braden Lofink each had two hits. Osborne had a double in the win. Fritsch and Owen each had two RBIs in the contest.
The first game also saw some nice pitching. Zach Berg went six strong innings in striking out five and allowing just two runs on six hits. Nate Kolb went 2 1/3 innings before allowing the game-winning run in the ninth. Kolb struck out three and allowed just three hits.
Southeast struck first with a run in the second. WNCC came back with two in the fifth. Fritsch started the inning with a double and scored on a Yates single. Michael Felton put the Cougars in front with a solo home run 2-1.
Southeast tied the game in the sixth with a single run. Both teams stayed tied until Southeast scored the winning run in the ninth.
WNCC had a prime scoring chance in the seventh as Owen walked and Yates doubled with just one out, but the Cougars couldn't get the go-ahead run in. WNCC also had two on in the eighth and ninth, but failed to score any runs.
WNCC had just five hits. Yates led the way with three hits, including a double and WBI. Fritsch had a double while Felton had a home run.
Both teams will be back in action Monday afternoon for a 9-inning conference game. WNCC is 5-5 in conference play while Southeast is 5-6. Trinidad State leads the conference at 9-3 followed by NJC at 5-4 and Lamar at 5-5.
Game 1
WNCC 000 020 000 – 2 5 4
Southeast 010 001 001 – 3 9 2
LP – Nate Kolb.
2B – Harrison Yates, Dermot Fritsch.
HR – Michael Felton.
Game 2
WNCC 000 103 0 – 4 8 1
Southeast 001 000 0 – 1 2 1
WP – Hunter Parker; S – Ty McAninch.
2B – Mitch Osborne.
HR – Brevin Owen.