PHOENIX – The Western Nebraska Community College and Seminole Junior Colleges brought out the bats in a doubleheader action in Phoenix Saturday afternoon.

                The second game saw the Cougars bring out the heavy lumber, tallying 13 hits for the game, including scoring 11 times in the fifth inning to earn the run-ruled 15-5 win. The first game was also a hit fest with both teams finishing with 11 hits. In the end, Seminole held off a WNCC rally to earn the 11-8 win.

                WNCC had to battle back in the second game after Seminole scored four times in the fourth for a 5-2 lead. The fifth saw the Cougars score 11 times on six hits. The bit drive was a 2-run triple by Isaac Block for a 12-5 lead. Block later scored on a wild pitch for the 13-5 lead.

                WNCC iced the game with two in the sixth with two runs. Jonathan Bermudez started things with a single. Matt Maestas then singled home pinch-runner Ty Benson. Three batters later, Ryan Grasser doubled home the game-ending run, scoring Maestas.

                WNCC pounded out 13 hits with four players earning multiple hits. Jonathan Bermudez led the way with three singles. Matt Maestas, Aaron Morrison, and Ryan Grasser each had two hits. Maestas had a double with three TBIs and two runs scored, while Morrison had a triple with two runs scored and a RBI. Grasser finished with a double with two RBIs and a run scored.

                Isaac Block also had a double with two RBIs and a run scored, while Austin Michaud had two RBIs.

                Jose Monge tossed five innings in claiming the win. Monge struck out five and allowed six hits and five runs. Landon Urban tossed one inning in relief with a strikeout.

                The first game saw Seminole jump out to a 7-0 lead before WNCC added two in the sixth and six in the seventh. Isaac Taylor had the big hit in the sixth with a 2-run home run to get the Cougars on the board.

                WNCC plated six more runs in the next inning on five hits. Morrison led things off with a double followed by a run-scoring single by Oscar Perez. Jack Pauley followed with a big run-scoring triple before Taylor picked up another RBI with a single to gut the lead to 10-7.

                WNCC finished with 11 hits. Oscar Perez led the way with three hits. Taylor and Morrison were the only other two with two hits. Taylor finished with a home run, three RBIs and a run scored, while Morrison had a double and a run scored.

                Michaud was the only Cougar to score two runs.

                Block suffered the loss, going five innings with three strikeouts. Kyle Burton tossed three innings in relief with five strikeouts.

                WNCC will get back into Empire Conference competition when they travel to McCook on Wednesday before hosting Otero Junior College in a doubleheader on Friday.

First Game

WNCC                   000 002 600 – 8 11 3

Seminole             402 103 10x – 11 11 0

LP – Isaac Block; 2B – Aaron Morrison; 3B – Jack Pauley; HR – Isaac Taylor.

Second Game

Seminole             100 400 – 5 6 2

WNCC (9-15)      020 0(11)2 – 15 13 4

WP – Jose Monge; 2B – Matt Maestas, Ryan Grasser; 3B – Aaron Morrison, Isaac Block.