Wildcats sweep doubleheader

Kevin Schlange celebrated his birthday by going 3-for-3 in the nightcap to help the Western Nevada College baseball team finish off a sweep at Feather River Community College in a pair of scrimmages on Saturday. The Wildcats won the opener 4-2 and the nightcap 12-2.

In the nightcap, the Wildcats jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning. Cliff Shepard doubled, Lance Ray walked and Andrew Reid was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Logan Odom walked to force in a run and Brian Barnett followed with an RBI sacrifice fly.

Kyle Gutchewsky hit a two-run double and Brett Moravec hit an RBI double to make it 5-0.

In the third, Schlange hit an RBI single and Shepard followed with a two-run double to make it 8-1. Chuck Howard's RBI single made it 9-1 in the fifth.

In the seventh, the Wildcats made it 12-1 on the strength of singles by Schlange, Mike Long and Victor Nunez and two wild pitches. Long had two hits and Ray and Marshall Kinnebrew each added a hit.

Starting pitcher Jose Barajas allowed one unearned run over three innings. James Crockett pitched three scoreless innings. Jordan Blanchard struck out five and allowed an unearned run over three innings.

In the opener, the Wildcats scored four runs after there were two outs and nobody on to break a scoreless tie in the seventh. Moravec singled, Ray singled and Reid and Barnett walked to force in a run. Ray then scored on a wild pitch, Reid scored on a passed ball and Barnett scored on a balk to make it 4-0.

Ray was 3-for-4, Travis Feiner doubled and Gutchewsky and Jerome Pena each added a hit. Starting pitcher Kyle Farrell struck out five over four scoreless innings.

Matt Klein pitched three scoreless innings. Javy Perez was on the verge of putting the finishing touches on a shutout, but a throwing error with two outs in the ninth gave Feather River its two runs.