Wildcats baseball earns sweep
Appeal Staff Report
After dropping a double header (3-2, 4-2) Friday to Gilbert Chandler Community College, Western Nevada College Wildcats baseball coach D.J. Whittemore said his team had to score more than four runs in a twinbill if it wanted to win.
The Wildcats responded by scoring a total of 15 runs to return the favor to the Coyotes, sweeping Saturday's double header 6-1, 9-7, at Packard Stadium, in Tempe, Ariz.
With the wins, WNC improved to 4-7 on the season.
"It was our best day of the year," Whittemore said. "It was a much-needed remedy for a slow start this season. It gives us a glimpse into what kind of team we have."
Freshman right-hander Kyle Farrell improved to 2-1 on the year, pitching six strong innings in the seven-inning game. Farrell allowed one run - a solo homer in the fourth inning - and four hits, while walking four and striking out three.
Freshman left Matt Klein closed out the game, pitching a perfect seventh.
McQueen graduate Brian Barnett hit his first homer as a Wildcat - a three-run shot in the third- to bring in Logan Parsley and Andrew Reid. It was also WNC's first round-tripper of the season.
Sophomore Chuck Howard scored in the top of the fourth when Andrew Reid hit into a double play and freshman Jerome Pena's RBI single scored Travis Feiner in the fifth to give WNC a 5-1 lead. Reid rounded up the scoring when he scored on a error in the sixth.
"We did a nice job defensively this weekend," Whittemore said. "Offensively we did a better job situationally in getting the ball into play with two strikes."
The Wildcats set the tempo in the second game with a four-run first inning. Lance Ray came home on a bases-loaded walk by Marshall Kennebrew, Cliff Shepard scored on a fielder's choice, Howard scored on a squeeze bunt and Carson High School graduate Kevin Schlange came home on a bases-loaded walk.
The Coyotes got one back in the third, but the Wildcats responded with three runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 7-1.
GCCC closed the gap to 7-3 in the bottom of the fourth before WNC added a run in the fifth for an 8-3 lead. The Coyotes got within 8-6 in the fifth, but the Wildcats picked up another run the next inning.
GCCC put up another run in the eighth inning, but failed to draw in any closer in the nine-inning affair.
"It was a great game the whole way," Whittemore said.
Starter Jose Barajas (1-0) was credited with the win, going four innings. He gave up one run, four hits and two walks, while striking out three.
Klein pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief, allowing five runs (three unearned), four hits and two walks. He struck out four. Sophomore Josh Creveling went 2 1/3, allowing three hits - including a solo homer - and one walk while striking out two.
Reid earned his first save of the year, pitching a perfect ninth.
Kinnebrew finished 1-for-2 with 2 runs batted in, Shepard 1-for-5 with 2 RBI, a triple and 2 runs and Pena, Howard, Logan Odom, Feiner and Schlange each added an RBI.
WNC travels to Stockton to face College of the Redwoods on Saturday and Delta College on Sunday.