BEATRICE – Trevor DuBray struck out eight and the Alliance freshman earned the game two win to help the Western Nebraska Community College baseball team earn a split with North division-leading Southeast Community College Thursday in Beatrice.
The Cougars allowed five first-inning runs in game one and the Storm earned the 9-5 win. Game two saw the Cougars start scoring early and with the pitching of DuBray, the Cougars captured the 5-4 win.
The second game was a big lift for the Cougars as they earned the split against Southeast. WNCC scored early and never trailed in the win.
WNCC started the scoring in the second as Jordan Rollins doubles and scores on a Joe Kinneberg home run for the 2-0 lead.
The Cougars added three more in the third for a 5-0 lead. Rei Kimura started the inning with a single followed by a single by Michael Felton. Luis Alcantara singled in Kimura for a 3-0 lead. Felton scored the fourth run on a sacrifice run by Jordan Rollins. Dillon Fabricus scored Alcantara with a double for the 5-0 lead.
Southeast added single runs in the third and fourth to cut the lead to 5-2. Southeast added two more runs in the sixth to slice the lead to 5-4. That was it as Owen Vantillo slammed the door on the Storm for the win.
WNCC managed eight hits in the contest. Kinneberg led the way with a 3-for-3 game with a home runs, two RBIs, and a run scored. No other Cougar had more than a hit.
DuBray picked up the win in going five innings in scattering four hits, allowing two runs while striking out eight. DuBray did not walk a batter.
Chandler Young tossed an inning in the game, allowing two hits and two runs. Owen Vantillo earned the save in tossing the seventh in facing just three batters with a strikeout.
The first game saw Southeast scored five first-inning runs and added single runs in the third and fourth for a 7-0 lead.
The fifth inning saw WNCC plate five runs on four hits. JT Cafferty and Sergio Tarango started things with singles. Riley Schanaman earned a walk to load the bases. Caleb Coats walked to score one run and then Michael Felton singled to score to. Rollins followed with a 2-out double to score Coats and Felton to cut the lead to 7-5.
WNCC couldn't get another run as Southeast added an insurance run in the fifth and sixth for the 9-5 win.
WNCC had just four hits in the contest, all coming in the fifth inning.
Dawson Hurford took the loss, going four innings in allowing seven runs on four hits while striking out five. Brian Bruxvroot and Noah Baumann also pitched an inning. Baumann struck out three.
WNCC and Southeast will meet up this weekend when the Storm comes to Cleveland Field for a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday. Those games will be the Cougars regular season home final games.
Game 1
WNCC 000 050 0 – 5 4 4
Southeast 501 111 x – 9 6 2
LP – Dawson Hurford.
2B – Jordan Rollins.
Game 2
WNCC 023 000 0 – 5 8 0
Southeast 001 102 0 – 4 6 0
WP – Trevor DuBray; S – Owen Vantillo.
2B – Dillon Fabricus, Jordan Rollins.
HR – Joe Kinneberg.