TRINIDAD, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team suffered two hard-fought defeats to Trinidad State College in Empire Conference action Sunday afternoon in Trinidad, Colorado.

                The first game saw all the scoring come in the middle innings as WNCC had a 5-4 lead before Trinidad scored two in the fifth and then held on for the 6-5 win.

                The second game saw the Cougars get behind the 8-ball early, allowing five Trinidad runs in falling 10-4.

                The first game was a barnburner as neither team scored in the first two innings. WNCC finally cracked the scoreboard with a single run in the third as Joe Kinneberg reached on an error and Dillon Fabricus singled. Sergio Tarango scored Kinneberg with a sacrifice fly.

                WNCC went up 5-0 with four in the fourth on three straight home runs. Eli Hernandez started the inning with a single and scored as Dalton Nelson blasted a 2-run home run. Drew Book and Joe Kinneberg followed with back-to-back shots over the rightfield fence to make it 5-0.

                Trinidad came right back to slice the WNCC lead to one, 5-4, on just two hits and a couple free passes.

                The Trojans went ahead with two in the fifth all with two outs on a 2-run home run by Benji Suave.

                Both teams finished with seven hits in the contest. Hernandez led the way with two hits, all singles with a run scored.

                WNCC finished the game with three home runs as Nelson had one with two RBIs and a run scored. Kinneberg had a home run with two runs scored and a RBI, while Book had a solo shot.

                Harold Baez went five strong innings, allowing six runs on five hits. Baez struck out four. Owen Vanthillo tossed one inning in allowing just two hits while striking out one.

                The second saw Trinidad plate four in the first and one in the second for the quick 5-0 lead. WNCC fought back, scoring two in the fourth and one in the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-3. The fourth saw Book and Tarango lead off with singles. Book came in to score on a Dylan Howard single and Tarango scored on a Quinn McCafferty fielder's choice hit.

                WNCC added another run in the fifth as Jordan Rollins and Hernandez earned free passes after Rollins was earned a 4-pitch walk and Hernandez was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Rollins scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3.

                Trinidad added one more run in the bottom of the fifth, but WNCC answered with a single run in the sixth as McCafferty homered to centerfield.

                The Trojans added four insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth for a 10-4 lead.

                WNCC was outhit 14-7 in the contest. McCafferty led the way with two hits including a home run with two RBIs and a run scored.

                Noah Baumann took the loss in going five innings in surrendering nine hits and six runs while striking out two. Hernandez tossed one inning in allowing five hits, four runs, and striking out one.

                WNCC will back in action next weekend when they host Lamar Community College in a four-game series at Cleveland Field.

Game 1

WNCC                   001 400 0 – 5 7 3

Trinidad                000 420 x – 6 7 2

LP – Harold Baez.

HR – Joe Kinneberg, Dalton Nelson, Drew Book.

Game 2

WNCC                   000 211 0 – 4 7 0

Trinidad                410 014 x – 10 14 1

LP – Noah Bauman.

HR – Quinn McCafferty.