PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team was in a battle against South Mountain Community College on Tuesday in a 9-inning game and just game up short in falling to South Mountain 5-3.

                It was a game where the Cougars did everything they needed on the mound, defense, and offense, but South Mountain just did a little bit more.

                WNCC got the hitting parade going quickly with two hits in the first inning, but they couldn't get a run in. In the second, the Cougars loaded the bases on two walks and a single. Then, with two outs, Dylan Harris earned a walk to scored Ryan Platt and the 1-0 lead.

                South Mountain came with a run in the second to tie the game and then another run in the fourth for a 2-1 lead. WNCC knotted the score with a run in the fifth when Tucker Deal had a single and scored on a Kensei Oikawa groundout.

                South Mountain added two in the sixth and one in the seventh for a 5-2 lead. WNCC scored once in the eighth when Oikawa was hit by a pitch followed by a Shintaro Inoue single. Oikawa scored on a Platt sacrifice fly to make it 5-3.

                WNCC finished the game with six hits, all singles from six different players.

                WNCC got two strong pitching performances has Nick Tremblay suffered the loss in going six strong innings in scattering nine hits and allowing just four runs while striking out three. Rocco Harmon tossed the final two innings in allowing two hits, one run, and striking out three.

                WNCC will face South Mountain in another game on Wednesday.

WNCC                 010 010 010 – 3 6 1
S. Mountain       010 102 10x – 5 11 2
LP – Nick Tremblay.