WNCC baseball drops doubleheader to Otero

WNCC baseball drops doubleheader to Otero
(WNCC)
March 6th, 2023 | WNCC Sports Information

LA JUNTA, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team opened Empire Conference play with a doubleheader in La Junta, Colorado, against Otero College and the Cougars fell in twice in close games.

The first game saw Otero score all the runs they needed in the first inning in earning the 3-0 win.

The second game started out the same for Otero with four quick runs and they used that first inning to get the 6-2 win.

The first contest saw WNCC pitchers Wyatt Zsidisin and Archer Blumenshein combine on a 3-hitter in the loss. The Cougars out-hit Otero 5-3, but couldn’t get the big base hit when they needed.

The three runs came early as the first two batters received free passes. Then, after two outs, Otero got a 3-run home run to go up 3-0.

WNCC had opportunities in the next six innings. Drew Book singled in the second, but was stranded on base.

The fifth inning was a big inning for WNCC to score. Max Adam reached base after getting plunked by a pitch. With two outs, Ethan Johnson singled to put runners on the corners, but that is where they were stranded.

WNCC also tried to score in the seventh inning when Dylan Harris had a 2-out single to start things. Johnson then earned a walk, but that was it.

Harris led the team on offense with two singles.

Zsidisin went five innings in allowing three hits, three runs and striking out four. Blumenshein tossed one inning in striking out one.

The second game saw Otero load the bases with three free passes and then a one-out double scored three runs as the Rattlers led 4-0. Otero plated another run in the third for a 5-0 lead.

WNCC came back in the fourth with two runs. Shintaro Inoue led off the inning with a double and then Book took a 1-2 count pitch over the leftfield fence for a 2-run home run to make the score 6-2.

Otero added one more run in the fifth while WNCC had runners on base in the latter innings, but couldn’t get the big hit to score any more runs.

WNCC finished with five hits. Book led the way with a home run and two RBIs. Eli Hernandez and Inoue each had doubles.

Short went four innings in allowing four hits, five runs and striking out five. Nicolas Tremblay went two innings in allowing a hit, a run, and striking out three.

WNCC and Otero will be back in action Monday for one game in La Junta, Colorado.

Game 1
WNCC                   000 000 0 – 0 5 0

Otero                    300 000 x – 3 3 1

LP – Wyatt Zsidisin.

Game 2
WNCC                   000 200 0 – 2 4 3

Otero                    401 010 x – 6 7 2

LP – Adrian Short.

2B – Eli Hernandez, Shintaro Inoue.

HR – Drew Book.

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