The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team let two games slip away as Southeast Community College scored late runs to earn a doubleheader sweep Saturday at Cleveland Field.

                In the first game, Trent Richter took a 5-1 lead into the seventh before Southeast scored seven times to earn the 8-5 win.

                The second game was high scoring as the Cougars and Storm combined for 26 runs and 22 hits. In the end, Southeast scored seven runs in the eighth and ninth inning to earn the 15-11 win.

                The first game WNCC outhit Southeast 7-6, but it was the seventh that saw the Cougars let the game slip away.

                WNCC grabbed a 4-0 lead in the second. Jordan Rollins stared the second with a double and scored on a Matt Womack double. Sergio Tarango followed with a run-scoring single for a 2-0 lead. After Quinn McCafferty was hit, Joey Olson double in both runners for the 4-0 lead.

                The score stayed that way until the fifth when Southeast scored just one. WNCC held a 4-1 lead going into the seventh when the Storm stormed back with seven runs including a grand slam. All the scoring came with two outs as the Cougars also committed a couple fielding errors in the frame.

                WNCC tried to come back as McCafferty walked and Olson was hit by a pitch. Michael Felton scored McCafferty with a single. WNCC had the bases loaded, but couldn't get the tying or winning runs in.

                Seven different Cougars had at least one hit in the contest. Joey Olson had a double with two RBIs to lead the team.

                Richter went 6 2/3 innings in allowing four hits and three runs in striking out two. Vanthillo took the loss, in allowing five runs on two hits.

                The second game saw Southeast score three in the first and one in the second for a 4-0 lead. WNCC came back with a seven-spot in the second to take a 7-4 lead. The second inning saw  Womack and McCafferty each earn walks. Jack Jones followed with a walk to load the bases. With two outs, Felton to score three runs. Luis Alcantara then walked and Rollins delivered a 3-run home to put WNCC up 6-4.

                Dillon Fabricus followed with a walk and scored on a Womack double for the 7-4 lead.

                McCook came right back and scored three in the third to tie the game at 7-7. WNCC answered in the bottom of the frame with a single run as Jack Jones singled in Joe Kinneberg for the 8-7 lead.

                WNCC went up 11-7 with three more runs in the fourth. Alcantara started the fourth with a single followed by Fabricus earning a walk. Womack drew a walk to load the bases. Kinneberg scored one run on a fielders choice hit and then Womack came around to score on an error. Jones made it 11-7 with a single that scored Kinneberg.

                WNCC didn't score again the rest of the game, coming up empty in the next five innings. In the meantime, McCook added a single run in the sixth to cut the lead to 11-8. McCook grabbed a 12-11 lead in the eighth and then added three more in the ninth for the 15-11 win.

                Womack, Kinneberg, and Jones all had two hits for the Cougars. Womack had two doubles with two runs scored and a RBI. Kinneberg scored two runs with a RBI. Also scoring two runs was Alcantara. Felton had one hit with three RBIs.

                The two teams will be back in action Sunday for a doubleheader beginning at noon at Cleveland Field. Sunday's contest will be the last regular season home game for WNCC.

Game 1

Southeast           000 010 7 – 8 6 0

WNCC                   040 000 1 – 5 7 7

LP – Owen Vanthillo.

2B – Luis Alcantara, Joey Olson, Jordan Rollins, Matt Womack.

Game 2

Southeast           313 001 043 – 15 11 2

WNCC                   071 300 000 – 11 11 7

LP – Gavin Harris.

2B – Matt Womack 2.

3B – Michael Felton.

HR – Jordan Rollins.