WNCC baseball goes 1-2 at Lamar

Posted: Mar 05, 2018

The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team went 1-2 over the weekend against Lamar Community College in Empire Conference action Saturday and Sunday.

The Cougar men captured its first win of the season when they rolled to a 10-3 win Saturday in the first game of the 3-game series.

The Cougars then fell 8-7 in eight innings on Saturday.

Sunday's action saw the two squads play a 9-inning game and WNCC gave up seven, eighth-inning runs to fall 11-7

After the opening weekend of conference play, WNCC is fourth in the conference standings at 1-2 behind Trinidad State and Northeastern Junior College at 3-0, and Lamar at 2-1. WNCC will get back into conference action this week with a 9-inning game when they host Northeastern Junior College on Wednesday, before facing Otero Junior College in LaJunta, Colorado, this weekend in a 3-game series.

WNCC played well offensively in the series this weekend against Lamar despite falling twice. On Sunday, WNCC held a 7-3 late before giving up a single run in the seventh and seven runs in the eighth.

Lamar struck first with a run in the first only to watch WNCC tie the game with a run in the second. WNCC took a 2-1 lead in the fifth has Tyler Olson singled home Cole Williams.

Lamar retook the lead at 3-2 with two runs in the sixth. WNCC regrouped in a big way, scoring five times in the seventh for a 7-3 lead. The big hit in the frame was a 3-run home run off the bat of Jonathan Bermudez. WNCC added another run as Esai Hernandez scored on a double by Brevin Owen to make it 7-3.

The Cougars couldn't hold the lead, giving up a run in the seventh and then allowing seven runs on eight hits in the eighth.

WNCC and Lamar combined on 28 hits in the game. Hernandez led the team with three hits, all singles with a run scored and a stolen base. Jonathan Bermudez had one hit, the home run with three RBIs.

Collecting two hits each were Tyler Olson and Braden Lofink. Brandan Maher and Brevin Owen each had a double in the contest.

Bermudez started the game and went five innings in giving up five hits, one run, striking out six. Hunter Parker took the loss in relief, allowing seven hits and eight runs. Blake Slaymaker also saw action, going less than two innings in allowing two hits and two runs.

Saturday's contests were also good ball games. WNCC opened series by rolling over Lamar 10-3, outhitting the Lopes 15-9.

WNCC used the long ball in the win with three home runs. Bermudez had a 2-run home run in the third to make it 4-1, while Tyler Shubert had a 2-run shot in the sixth inning. Harrison Yates finished off the home run parade with a solo shot in the seventh.

WNCC was led at the plate by Bermudez with a 3-of-4 plate appearance with a home run, three RBIs, and a run scored. Maher also had three hits with a double, two RBIs, and a run scored.

Shubert had two hits with a home run, two RBIs, and a run scored, while Williams had two hits with a double, three runs scored, and a RBI. Mitch Lightbody also had two hits with two runs scored.

Alex Oehme picked up the win, going six strong innings in scattering seven hits and striking out eight. Nate Kolb closed out the game, tossing the seventh inning in allowing two hits and striking out ne.

WNCC kept their hot hitting in game two, scoring four first inning runs and then grabbing a 7-3 lead with a 3-run fourth inning.

The Cougars couldn't hold the lead, however, as Lamar scored three in the fourth and single runs in the fifth and eighth inning with a walk-off home run to steal the win.

WNCC and Lamar combined on 21 hits. Bermudez and Maher led the way with two hits each. Maher had a home run with three RBIs, and two runs scored. Bermudez had a home run with a RBI.

Lightbody also had two hits, while Owen had two RBIs.

WNCC used three pitchers in the contest. Kyle Litzelman took the loss, tossing the eighth inning in allowing the game-ending home run.

Claude Bova started and went three innings in allowing four hits, five runs, and striking out five. Zach Berg tossed four strong innings in scattering six hits. Berg struck out three while allowing two runs.

Sunday's Game

WNCC 010 010 500 – 7 13 2

Lamar 100 002 17x – 11 15 5

LP – Hunter Parker

2B – Brandan Maher, Brevin Owen

HR – Jonathan Bermudez

Saturday's Games

Game 1

WNCC 004 014 1 – 10 15 1

Lamar 100 011 0 – 3 9 1

WP – Alex Oehme

2B – Brandan Maher, Cole Williams