LAMAR, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team dropped an Empire Conference doubleheader to Lamar Community College Saturday afternoon in Lamar, Colo.
In the opener, Lamar scored nine, first-inning runs in rolling to the 10-4 win. The second game was a little closer, but the Runnin' Lopes scored nine late runs to win 13-4.
WNCC falls to 11-13 in conference play and are still in the driver's seat for a playoff berth. NJC is in fifth, just two games behind the Cougars at 11-15. Lamar, with the sweep, moves to 20-9 in conference play and just four games out of first place. Trinidad leads the conference with a 19-5 record.
Lamar and WNCC will be back on the diamonds for another conference doubleheader.
Lamar controlled the first game from the get-go with the nine runs in the first inning. WNCC tried to come back, but only managed single runs in four of the innings.
WNCC finished with eight hits. Pauley had the hot bat, going 2-for-3 with a double, home run, and two runs scored. Brandon Bachar finished with three hits, including a home run with two runs scored and a RBI.
Oscar Perez also had two hits with an RBI.
The second game was a little better. Lamar scored two runs in the first, but the Cougars answered back with two runs in the second to tie the score. After that, the Runnin' Lopes answered with two in the third and three in the fourth for a 7-2 lead.
WNCC kept fighting, scoring twice in the fifth. It wasn't enough as Lamar put up six in the sixth for the 13-4 win.
WNCC was led by Pauley with three hits, including another home run. He also had two RBIs and two stolen bases.
First Game
WNCC 010 101 1 – 4 8 2
Lamar 901 000 x – 10 11 0
Jose Mongo; 2B – Jack Pauley; HR – Jack Pauley, Brandon Bachar.
Second Game
WNCC (17-27) 020 020 0 – 4 6 2
Lamar 202 306 x – 13 16 0
LP – Montana Giesbrecht; HR – Jack Pauley.