STERLING, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team dropped an Empire Conference doubleheader to Northeastern Junior College Friday afternoon.

                In the first game, WNCC managed just three hits in falling to the Plainsmen 7-1. WNCC started the second game strong, but faded late in falling to NJC 7-4 in conference play.

                The Cougars, 3-7, will be back in action Saturday and Sunday with a four-game set with Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kansas.

                The second game was the better game as the Cougars had an opportunity to steal the game. WNCC opened the game with three, second inning runs. WNCC couldn't hold the lead as the Plainsmen scored single runs in the second and fourth inning, three in the third, and two in the fifth to grab a 7-3 lead.

                WNCC managed eight hits in the contest. Oscar Perez, Brandon Bachar, and Ryan Grasser each had two hits. Perez had the only extra-base hit with a double. The sophomore also had two RBIs.

                Brian Kelley suffered the loss on the mound, going five innings in allowing eight hits and seven runs. Kelley did, however, strike out seven. Beau Lofink finished the game by tossing a scoreless sixth with a strikeout.

                In the opener, Chase Dunker, who is headed to play at Kansas State next year, struck out 12 and tossed a 3-hitter in pacing the Plainsmen to the 7-1 win. Dunker was masterful on the mound, facing just 25 batters in seven innings in allowing a run and three hits. Dunker had a perfect going through four innings before Jack Pauley led off the fifth with a single for the first hit of the game. Two outs later, WNCC scored as Pauley scored on a Bachar double.

                WNCC one other hit, a lead-off single in the seventh by Austin Michaud.

                Bradley Brown suffered the loss on the mound, going four innings in allowing 10 hits and seven runs while striking out five. Montana Giesbrecht finished off the game, tossing two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.

Game One

WNCC                   000 010 0 – 1 3 3

NJC                        050 200 x – 7 11 0

LP – Bradley Brown; 2B – Brandon Bachar.

Game Two

WNCC                   030 001 0 – 4 8 1

NJC                        013 120 x – 7 9 0

LP – Brian Kelley; 2B – Oscar Perez