PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team used some late-inning magic in capturing a 7-4 win over Paradise Valley Community College Friday afternoon in Phoenix, Arizona, to wrap up their Spring Break trip.
The Cougars will next be in action March 23-24 when they host Luna Community College in four Empire Conference contests at Cleveland Field.
Friday afternoon, the Cougars fell behind 3-0 before they mounted a comeback in the seventh and eighth inning. Paradise Valley was cruising along with a 3-0 lead after scoring twice in the first and one in the third.
WNCC finally got something going as they scored twice in the seventh to make it a 3-2 contest and then took a 7-3 lead with five in the eighth.
The seventh saw Shintaro Inoue start things with a single. After Tyler Easter was hit by a pitch, Garrett Dodd singled to load the bases. Inoue scored the first run on a sacrifice fly and Easter scored the second run on a single by Alex Ainsworth.
WNCC took the lead in the eighth when Caciari doubles followed by a single by Inoue. Caciari scored on a Peterson double while Inoue scored on an Easter single. Dodd then came through a 3-run home run to go up 7-3.
Paradise Valley got one in the nineth, but it wasn't enough as the Cougars picked up their ninth win of the season.
WNCC managed 13 hits in the contest to just five for Paradise Valley. Caleb Caciari led the way with a 4-for-5 day with two doubles and a run scored. Inoue, Peterson, Dodd, and Ainsworth all had two hits each. Peterson had two doubles while Ainsworth had a double. Dodd had a home run with three RBIs.
Peterson started on the mound, going four innings in allowing three runs, three hits, and striking out two. Rocco Harman picked up the win, going five innings with two hits, a run scored, and six strikeouts.
WNCC 000 000 250 – 7 13 2
Paradise Valley 201 000 001 – 4 5 0
WP – Rocco Harman.
2B – Alex Ainsworth, Caleb Caciari 2, Bryce Peterson 2.
HR – Garrett Dodd.