STERLING, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team gave up two grand slams and fell in a high-scoring Empire Conference game to Northeastern Junior College 26-14 in the run-ruled contest Thursday in Sterling Colorado.
The 26 runs allowed set a WNCC record. The previous most runs allowed was 23 set by the Colorado State Club team in 2012.
It wasn't a matter of offense in the game for neither team as the two schools combined for 40 runs and 33 hits. The two teams also had a combined eight home runs. Unfortunately for the Cougars, seven of the home runs came off the bats of the Plainsmen.
The game started with plenty of offense as the Cougars scored three in the first and five in the second. NJC countered with six in the first and four in the second.
WNCC's three runs in the first started when Max Adam singled followed by Jack Jones reaching on an error. Adam scored on a Jordan Rollins single. Rollins came in to score on an Eli Hernandez double and Hernandez made it 3-0 on a Joe Kinneberg ground out.
NJC answered with six in the first for a 6-3 lead. The Plainsmen scored their six on two 3-run home runs off the bats of Caleb Rozier and David Draayers.
WNCC came right back and went up 8-6 when the plated five in the second. The second started when Dylan Howard singled followed by Quinn McCafferty recording a double. Sergio Tarango scored Howard with a hard ground ball and then McCafferty scored on an Adam sacrifice.
With two outs, Hernandez singled in Tarango to tie the game at 6-6. Kinneberg followed with a run-scoring single and Hernandez came in to score on an error by the catcher for the 8-6 lead.
NJC came right back with four in the second for a 10-8 lead on a Mason Sauter grand slam.
NJC went up 11-8 with a run in the third only to watch WNCC come back with three in the fourth tie the game at 11-11. The fourth inning hits and runs all came with two outs. Rollins led off with a walk followed by Hernandez ripping a single. Kinneberg loaded the base when he was hit by a pitch. Drew Book scored a run when he was walked and then Howard singled in two runs to tie the game.
WNCC had trouble stopping the NJC runs as the Plainsmen scored three in the fourth to go up 14-11. WNCC answered as they tied the game in the fifth with three runs. Rollins scored all three runs when he ripped a 3-run home run to score Tarango and Jones for the 14-14 tie.
NJC came right back to score four runs in each of the next three innings. NJC led 18-14 after five and then 22-14 after the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh, Nick Schumacher ripped a 2-out walk-off grand slam to end the game on the 10-run rule.
WNCC finished with 11 hits in the contest. Hernandez led the way with three hits including a double, three runs scored, and two RBIs. Rollins and Howard each had two hits. Rollins had a home run with four runs scored and four RBIs, while Howard had two singles with two RBIs and a run scored.
WNCC utilized four pitchers while NJC had three pitchers on the mound. Owen Vanthillo tossed the first inning in allowing six runs and five hits. Will Potter followed with 2 1/3 innings of work in scattering five hits, allowing eight runs and striking out two.
Thibault Mercadier went 2 2/3 innings and allowed nine hits, eight runs, while striking out one. Mercadier was saddled with the loss. JJ Garza finished the came tossing the final two-thirds of an inning in allowing four runs and three hits.
WNCC will look to get back on the winning track when they travel to Trinidad State College for a 4-game series on Saturday and Sunday.
WNCC 350 330 0 – 14 11 2
NJC 641 344 4 – 26 22 3
LP – Thibault Mercadier.
2B – Eli Hernandez, Quinn McCafferty.
HR – Jordan Rollins.