The Western Nebraska Community College and McCook Community College baseball teams combined for 30 runs and 33 hits Saturday in an Empire Conference contest at Cleveland Field.
In the end, Jonathan Bermudez' seventh inning grand slam proved to be the difference in leading the Cougars to the 17-13 win.
Both teams will be back it for a doubleheader on Sunday at Cleveland Field beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday's contest will also be the last home game for 13 sophomores.
Cole Williams, one of the sophomores who went 2-for-5 with a home runs and two RBIs, said the team played well, especially offensively.
"I think we played really as a team," the Parker, Colorado, infielder said. "We all come together, played well, hit big balls when we needed to."
The offense really came around Saturday, and they had to, too. WNCC pounded out 16 hits with two doubles from Brandan Maher and Tyler Olson, one triple from Olson, and home runs from Williams and Bermudez.
"We had a lot of big hits when we needed them," Williams said. "We didn't go down without a fight. It was super important to get those base hits because it puts pressure on the other team in making them get you out. If you don't put pressure on them, it Is just an easy game for them."
Saturday's game, however, didn't start as an offensive contest with neither team scoring runs in the first two innings. The third inning on was where the offense came alive. McCook scored runs in six of the last seven innings, while WNCC plated four or more runs in three innings.
The Indians struck first with three runs in the third before WNCC came back with five runs in the bottom of the frame. Mitch Lightbody started the scoring with a run-scoring single to plate Harrison Yates. Then, with two outs, WNCC added four more as Brandan Maher and Tyler Olson each knocked in a run to know the score. The Cougars went ahead 5-3 on a Tyler Schubert single to score two.
McCook came back to tie the game with two in the fourth, only to watch the Cougars plate four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Williams started the offense with a 2-run home run. The Cougars added another as Olson had a 2-out triple for a 9-5 lead.
McCook added single runs in the fifth and sixth to trail WNCC 10-7. It was the seventh inning that became while. McCook plated three runs to tie the score at 10-10. WNCC came back with seven runs in the seventh. WNCC's big inning all started with Harrison Yates scoring two with a single. Maher than singles in Tommy McRill for a 13-10 lead.
With the bases juiced, Bermudez hammers a fly ball over the leftfield fence for a grand slam and a 17-10 lead.
McCook kept the offense going, scoring three in the eighth to cut the lead to. WNCC buckled down on defense in the night, as winning pitcher Nate Kolb struck out two and got another McCook to pop out in foul territory for the win.
WNCC had six players with multiple hits in the win. Esai Hernandez led the team with three singles with a run scored. Hernandez also had three stolen bases.
Lightbody, Williams, Maher, Bermudez, and Olson all had two hits. Bermudez had five RBIs and two runs scored to go with his grand slam, while Lightbody scored three runs. Maher added a double with three runs scored and two RBIs, while Olson had a double, triple, two runs scored, and two RBIs.
Nate Kolb picked up the win, tossing the final 2 1/3 innings in allowing four hits and three runs, while striking out three. Alex Oehme started and went six strong innings in giving up seven runs and nine hits, while striking out six. Devin DeBoer also tossed an inning, allowing four hits and three runs.
Williams added Sunday's games are going to be special for the sophomores as they play for the last time at Cleveland Field. Last year WNCC host the Region IX tournament and this year, the Cougars are fighting for a playoff spot.
"We need to keep putting balls in play, keep making plays behind our pitchers, and the pitchers pitching good. The same thing as today," he said. "It is going to mean a lot after two years on this field playing hard. There is a lot of sweat on this field so it will feel good if we can come out with two wins tomorrow."
McCook 003 211 330 – 13 17 3
WNCC 005 401 70x – 17 16 2
WP – Nate Kolb
2B – Brandan Maher, Tyler Olson
3B – Tyler Olson