LAMAR, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team lost leads late in dropping a doubleheader to Lamar Community College in Empire Conference action Sunday in Lamar, Colo.

                The first game saw WNCC record two home runs from Ethan "Q" Miller and Jayden Orozco, but Lamar came back with four runs in the sixth to take the 7-4 win.

                The second game saw Miller smack a 2-run home run, but Lamar scored three times in the Lopes' final at bat to take the 3-2 win.

                WNCC will be back in action Wednesday when they host Northeastern Junior College in an Empire Conference doubleheader.

                The first game saw some strong pitching as well. Chandler Young went five strong innings in striking out six and giving up three runs. Despite allowing three runs, Young was in line to get the win as the Cougars plated three runs in the sixth inning to go up 4-3.

                WNCC scored a single run in the second as Orozco was hit by a pitcher and scored on a grounder to tie the game at 1-1. Lamer came back with two in the fifth for a 3-1 lead.

                WNCC answered in thundering fashion in the sixth on two hits. Caleb Coats led off with by earning a walk. Miller than took the second pitch and launched it over the rightfield fence to tie the game at 3-3. After two outs, Orozco put the Cougars in front, taking the first pitch and line driving it over the leftfield fence for the 4-3 lead.

                Lamar answered in the bottom of the sixth with four runs on just one hit to grab the 7-4 lead and then held on for the win.

                After dropping the first contest, WNCC was in another pitcher's dual in game two. WNCC starting pitcher Corbin Kirk went five strong innings in allowing just two hits and no runs in striking out seven. Lamar's pitcher staff was also going strong, striking out 12 Cougars and allowing just two hits.

                It was one those two hits that gave WNCC the lead in the third inning. Matt Womack led off the inning by getting plucked with the pitch. Miller followed by taking the first strike he saw come across the plate and drove it over the rightfield fence for the 2-0 lead.

                The lead almost held up, but Lamar made a seventh-inning rally with a lead-off single and double. Lamar rode that momentum to three runs and the walk-off win.

Game 1

WNCC                   010 003 0 – 4 2 3

Lamar                    100 024 x – 7 7 1

LP – William Potter.

HR – Q Miller, Jayden Orozco.

Game 2

WNCC                   002 000 0 – 2 2 2

Lamar                    000 000 3 – 3 4 1

LP – Dawson Hurford.

HR – Q Miller.