WNCC gains split against CCSN

Western Nevada Community College baseball coach D.J. Whittemore got exactly what he expected on Friday: Close, low scoring games.

In the long run, he also got what he wanted. A split to open Scenic West Conference play against Community College of Southern Nevada. In two seven-inning games, WNCC (7-7, 1-1) beat CCSN 5-4 in the opener, before losing the nightcap 2-1 in Henderson. WNCC has now won two-of-three games with its in-state rival this year.

"That's what I was looking for," Whittemore said. "I know if it was low scoring and close, that meant we were playing well."

WNCC scored two runs in the first inning and three runs in the second to jump out to a 5-0 lead in the opener and held on thanks to outstanding relief pitching from McQueen's Dan Grubbs and Ryan Iodence, who picked up his first save of the year.

Carson graduate Aaron Henry led off the game by hitting a single on the first pitch he saw and stole second to score one of the two runs in the first. Kyle Bondurant had two hits, an RBI and a run, Brad Carlsen had a hit, an RBI and a run, Tyson Jaquez had two hits and two RBI, Pat Grennan had a hit, Taylor Meiras had a hit and a run and Jerahmie Libke scored a run.

Winning pitcher Justin Garcia (3-1) pitched three shutout innings before giving up four runs, three earned in the fourth. He struck out four. "Garcia gave us a quality start," Whittemore said.

Grubbs pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, striking out two. His biggest strikeout came in the sixth with the bases loaded on a 3-2 count, when he threw a slider for the strikeout to end the inning.

Iodence pitched out of trouble in the seventh, picking up the last two outs while striking out one for the save.

"We just got humongous relief pitching with the game on the line, on the road," Whittemore said. "We did a really good job pitching out of trouble."

In the nightcap, Bondurant went 2-for-2 and drove in WNCC's only run, Jaquez and Grennan each had a hit and Douglas High's Jimmy Pierce scored the Wildcats' only run in the seventh.

After reaching base, Pierce moved to second when fellow Douglas graduate Chad Walling was hit by a pitch. Bondurant singled home Pierce before Walling was left stranded at second to end the game.

Mason Tobin was the tough luck losing, giving up two runs on just one hit through 4.2 innings while striking out seven. Jake Bottari didn't allow a run over 1/3 of an inning and Chad Riddle didn't pitched a scoreless inning, striking out two.

The two teams will finish their four-game series with a doubleheader today in Henderson.