STERLING, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team earned a split with Northeastern Junior College in North Empire Conference action Wednesday at Sterling, Colorado.
The first game saw the Cougars get home runs from Dillon Fabricus and Eli Hernandez and received clutch pitching in earning the 7-5 win.
The second game saw the Cougars leading 6-2 before giving up five, sixth-inning runs in falling to the Plainsmen 8-6.
The first game saw NJC grab a 1-0 lead after a run in the first. WNCC came back to hold a 5-1 lead after single runs in the second and third, and putting up a 3-spot in the fourth. The second inning saw Ethan Johnson record a triple to score Quinn McCafferty with the tying run.
WNCC went in front in the third when Jack Jones led off with a triple and scored on a Dalton Nelson sacrifice fly.
The Cougars opened the game with three runs in the fourth on just two hits. Dillon Fabricus started the scoring with a solo home run to make the score 3-1. Johnson then earned a 2-out walk and Jordan Rollins singled to put two on. Jones got a single to score both runs.
NJC scored one in the bottom of the fourth to make it 5-2, but WNCC answered with a run in the fifth as Eli Hernandez led off the inning with a solo home run.
WNCC added an insurance run in the seventh as Jones singled and then Hernandez reached on a fielder's choice. Nelson scored Hernandez after ripping a single to make it 7-2.
NJC tried a comeback in their last at-bat when they had consecutive hits, a double, single and a 3-run home run, but that was all they could get as WNCC earned the win 7-5.
WNCC outhit NJC 12-7. Jones had the hot stick, going 4-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs, and a run scored. Nelson and Johnson also had two hits. Nelson had two singles with two RBIs, while Johnson had a triple with a run scored and RBI.
Owen Vanthillo picked up the win going five innings in allowing two runs and four hits while striking out one. Caden Eymann tossed one inning and then Brian Bruxvoort tossed the seventh to get the save while allowing three hits and three runs.
The second game proved to be a wild one as WNCC held a 2-0 lead after scoring single runs in the first two innings. The first inning saw Nelson rip a single to score Rollins for the 1-0 lead. The second frame saw Max Adam record a solo home run.
NJC tied the game with two in the bottom of the second, but the Cougars came right back to plate two runs each in the third and fourth frames. The third saw Nelson get hit by a pitch with two outs and then Drew Book launched a 2-run home run.
The fourth frame saw Dylan Howard single and score on a Rollins 2-out, 2-run home for the 6-2 lead.
The sixth saw NJC load the bases with two outs on just one single. The first run came in on another single and then Calab Rozier blasted a grand slam for the 7-6 lead. NJC added one more run in the frame to lead 8-6.
WNCC and NJC each had nine hits. Rollins and Book each had two hits. Rollins had a home run with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Book had a home run with two RBIs and a run scored.
Noah Baumann pitched a strong five innings in scattering five hits and allowing two runs while striking out five. Wyatt Zsidisin tossed the sixth in allowing five runs and three hits before giving way to Aiden Schultz, who allowed one hit and one run.
WNCC, 13-12 in conference and 18-25 overall, will be back in action this weekend when they travel to Beatrice to face Southeast Community College. Southeast is leading Region IX with a 24-1 conference record and 36-6 overall. Southeast is sitting first in the North conference while WNCC is second, just two games ahead of McCook and NJC.
Game 1
WNCC 011 310 1 – 7 12 2
NJC 100 100 3 – 5 7 1
WP – Owen Vanthillo; S – Brian Bruxvoort.
2B – Quinn McCafferty.
3B – Ethan Johnson, Jack Jones.
HR – Dillon Fabricus, Eli Hernandez.
Game 2
WNCC 112 200 0 – 6 9 1
NJC 020 006 x – 8 9 0
LP – Wyatt Zsidisin.
HR – Max Adam, Drew Book, Jordan Rollins.