The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team split a key Empire Conference doubleheader with McCook Community College Thursday at Cleveland Field.

                The first game saw WNCC spot McCook five first-inning runs and then scored eight times late in the game to claim the 10-5 win.

                The second contest saw a tight contest through the first five innings knotted at 2-2. After that, the teams had to endure a hour-plus rain and lightning delay. When play resumed, McCook scored 10 times in the next three innings to win 12-2.

                WNCC goes to 13-9 in conference play and 22-27 overall. McCook stays in second place at 17-5 and 25-21 overall. The two teams will play again on Saturday in McCook with another doubleheader.

                The first game was exciting. McCook came out and plated five in the top of the first for a 5-0 lead. WNCC answered with one in the first and third inning to trail 5-2 after three innings.

                The first saw Hunter McCollum get a triple and scored on the overthrow to third for the run.

                The third inning saw Dylan Harris lead off with a single followed by a Caleb Caciari double. Harris scored on a groundout to trail 5-2.

                WNCC went in front 7-5 with five runs in the fifth inning. Kensei Oikawa started things after getting hit by a pitch. WNCC loaded the bases on singles by Harris and Caciari. McCollum scored on with a single and the Shintaro Inoue scored a run on a ground out. WNCC tied the game with a Bryce Peterson run-scoring single. With two outs, Ashton Ross scored two with a double.

                WNCC plated three more runs in the sixth. Harris led off with a single. WNCC loaded the bases as McCollum and Inoue each earned walks. Harris scores on a ground out. Tyler Easter plated two more with a 2-out double for the 10-5 lead.

                WNCC managed 11 hits in the contest. Harris went 3-for-3 with all singles and three runs scored. Caciari and McCollum each had two hits, while Inoue, Peterson, Easter, and Ross each had two RBIs.

                In game two, both starting pitchers went strong for the first five innings before the weather delays hit. WNCC starter Zane Hendrickx gave up just two runs in five innings with six strikeouts.

                After the long delay and play resumed in the sixth inning, the weather affected play as WNCC gave up two in the sixth, seven in the seventh, and one in the eighth to trail 12-2.

                WNCC two runs came in the fourth and fifth. The fourth saw Easter get a walk and then Arturo Montiel had a single. Easter scored the first run on a Mathieu Levesque fielder’s choice hit.

                In the fifth inning, their was a short 5-minute weather delay, but play resumed when it was clear and WNCC plated a run in the bottom of the fifth when Peterson had a double to score Oikawa.

                That was when the first lightning struck in the vicinity and play was halted for 30 minutes. During that time, rain and pea-sized hail came down. After the rain stopped, play resumed around 5:40 p.m. because of the artificial turf on the infield.

                McCook came out ready as they scored two in the sixth and then eight more for the 12-2 win.

                WNCC managed just four hits in the contest with Peterson getting the only extra base hit.

 

Game 1
McCook              500 000 0 – 5 8 1
WNCC                 101 053 x – 10 11 0
WP – Rocco Harmon; S – Myttchel Pollock.

2B – Ashton Ross, Caleb Caciari, Tyler Easter.

3B – Hunter McCollum.

 

Game 2

McCook              000 202 71 – 12 14 2

WNCC                 000 110 00 – 2 4 5

LP – Julian Garza.

2B – Bryce Peterson.