LA JUNTA, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball dropped a pair of Empire Conference games on Monday after having early leads.

                The first game was a slugfest as the two squads combined for 25 runs and 25 hits as the Rattlers overcame a 11-4 deficit to score nine runs in their final three at bats to claim a 13-12 win.

                The second game saw WNCC lead 3-0 before Otero scored five, sixth inning runs to earn the 5-3 win.

                The first game saw plenty of offense and the Cougars got the offensive ball going quick with 11 runs in the first four innings. WNCC plated four in the first on four hits. Eli Hernandez singled in Ethan Johnson for the first run. Bryce Peterson than plated two more for a 3-0 lead with a double and Drew Book drove in Peterson to make it 4-0 with a double.

                WNCC plated two more runs in the second as Shintaro Inoue doubled home Johnson for a 5-0 lead and then Peterson singled home Hernandez to make it 6-0.

                Otero came back with three in the bottom of the second to make it 6-3, but the Cougars answered with three of there own in the third. WNCC loaded the bases with two outs and Hernandez came through with a monster double to score three runs for the 9-3 lead.

                Otero responded with one of their own to make it 9-4 only to watch WNCC score two in the fourth for an 11-4 game. The fourth scoring all came with two outs. Book got things started with a 2-out single and scored on a Joseph Toubeaux hit that resulted in an error. Toubeaux then scored on a Dylan Harris single.

                That was when the tide turned for Otero as the Rattlers scored four in the bottom of the fourth to make it 11-8 and then tied the game with three in the fifth. Otero took the lead with two in the sixth.

                WNCC had one final at bat and they almost came back. Johnson started things by reaching on an error. Inoue came through with a 2-out double to score one run but that was all they could manage.

                WNCC pounded out 13 hits in the defeat including five doubles. Inoue led the way with a 4-for-5 game with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored. Hernandez finished with three hits including a double, four RBIs, and two runs scored.

                Also collecting two hits in the contest were Peterson who went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs, and a run scored; Drew Book who went 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI and run scored; and Dylan Harris who went 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored.

                WNCC utilized three pitchers. Clayden Brandon started and went three innings allowing six hits, four runs and a strikeout, Archer Blumenshein went an inning in allowing two hits and four runs with three strikeouts, and Mytchell Pollock finished the game going two innings in allowing four hits, five runs and a strikeout.

                The second game of the doubleheader was also a thriller. Neither team scored in the first four innings. WNCC broke the ice with a single run in the fifth as R. Fraai led off with a single and scored on an Isaac Smith double.

                WNCC went up 3-0 with three runs in the sixth. Toubeaux earned walk and scored on an Inoue single. Book reached on an error. Inoue came in to score later on a Fraai hit that resulted in an error, but WNCC left both runners stranded in scoring position.

                WNCC was still in control, but the sixth inning saw Otero plate five runs on four hits to take a 5-3 lead. WNCC had one final at bat and they mounted a charge. Smith led off by earning a walk and then Toubeaux singled to put two on and that is where the runners were stranded to end the game.

                WNCC finished with four hits to Otero's 10. Inoue had the only extra base hit with a double along with a run scored and RBI. Smith also had an RBI.

                WNCC will be back in action this weekend as they start their Spring Break trip beginning Sunday when they face Madison College in Phoenix. The Cougars will also face Central Arizona College, South Mountain Community College, and Mesa Community College on the trip before returning home for a four-game series with Luna Community College March 18-19.

Game 1
WNCC                   423 200 1 – 12 13 4
Otero                    031 432 x – 13 12 4
LP – Mytchell Pollock.
2B – Drew Book, Eli Hernandez, Shintaro Inoue 2, Bryce Peterson.

Game 2
WNCC                   000 012 0 – 3 4 0
Otero                    000 005 x – 5 10 2
LP – Eli Hernandez.
2B – Isaac Smith.