Bruins sweep Wildcats in snowball
Appeal Staff Report
The Western Nevada Wildcats found themselves up against first-place Salt Lake Community College's best pitcher and some of Utah's uglier weather Saturday and found themselves on the losing end of both.
Carson dropped a 2-1 decision to the Bruins and their ace Adam Gunn to open their twinbill before battling the elements and their rival before coming out a 9-0 loser in game two.
SLCC improved to 11-1 in the Scenic West Athletic Conference, while the Wildcats fell to 5-7 in league and 11-14 overall.
"Gunn Lived up to his billing," said Wildcats coach D.J. Whittemore. "He did a good job throwing four pitches and threw for strikes when he needed to. He had a good fastball early."
Gunn surrendered two hits and struck out six in his five innings of action.
According to Whittemore, WNC starter Josh Moody was "a tough luck loser again." The left-handed freshman allowed two runs and seven hits over six innings, walking three and striking out four.
The Bruins went up 1-0 in the bottom of the second.
"I'm not a pouter, but we apparently botched a run-down between second and third - we missed a tag, apparently," Whittemore said of the run.
SLCC added another run in the bottom of the sixth on a base hit after a Wildcats error.
WNC rallied in the top of the seventh, when pinch runner Darren Bruhns scored from second on a Cliff Shepard single. The Wildcats had runners on second and third with one out and then had the bases loaded with two outs, but couldn't push another run across the plate.
Shepard finished 1-for-3, Chuck Howard went 2-for-3 and Kyle Gutchewsky was 1-for-2 for the Wildcats in game one.
It was the Wildcats versus the Bruins and Mother Nature for 2 1/2 innings in game two before snow forced a 90-minute delay. WNC was trailing 1-0 with two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the third before the delay.
The game re-started amidst snow flurries, with the Bruins putting up five quick runs. The game was called off after six innings due to the snow.
"We didn't think the field conditions were warranting re-starting the game," Whittemore said. "We were sitting in 30-degree weather for an hour and a half. I don't think our minds were in the right place."Travis Feiner got the Wildcats' only hit and Jordon Blanchard took the loss on the mound.
"We're looking forward to spending three nights in our own beds and playing in front of our home crowd," Whittemore said. "We start the second half of the season next week. We have five of the next seven series at home. We are looking forward to a strong second half."
The Wildcats will host Colorado Northwestern Community College in a pair of doubleheaders beginning at noon Friday and Saturday at Western Nevada College.