Wildcats sweep Eastern Utah
Appeal Staff Report
Thanks to some sensational starting pitching, the Western Nevada College baseball team's thin pitching staff just got a lot deeper.
WNC's four starting pitchers - Kyle Starratt, Josh Moody, Kyle Farrell and Jose Barajas combined to walk two batters in four games as the Wildcats completed a series sweep at College of Eastern Utah on Saturday. Starratt was outstanding in the opener, a 6-1 win, and Barajas was just as good in the nightcap, a 4-0 victory.
"Our starting pitching could have CGd every game," said WNC coach D.J. Whittemore about his four starters being able to pitch complete games.
The original plan was for Jordan Blanchard to start game four. But because of the outstanding starting pitching, Barajas didn't receive a chance to pitch in the first three games, so he started the final game.
Barajas struck out eight while allowing two hits and one walk over four innings. Blanchard finished up, striking out four over three innings while allowing two hits and walking none.
With Andrew Reid, Josh Creveling and Blanchard all now pitching effectively, Whittemore has the option of moving Barajas into the starting rotation.
"We've got some options we'll discuss this week," Whittemore said.
In the opener, Farrell struck out 10 over six innings while allowing three singles and walking none. Creveling allowed one run on three hits and struck out one in the seventh.
Chuck Howard went 2-for-4 with a two-run double that gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Pena went 2-for-4 with a two-run double that gave WNC a 4-0 lead in the fourth. The Wildcats added two unearned runs in the seventh.
Brian Barnett and Logan Parsley both went 2-for-4 with a double and Cliff Shepard and Kyle Gutchewsky each added a hit.
In the nightcap, Riley Gordon continued his outstanding pitching for Eastern Utah as the Wildcats were able to provide just enough offense to support Barajas and Blanchard. Gordon was coming off three outstanding outings against College of Southern Nevada, Salt Lake Community College and College of Southern Idaho and coming off a 3-1 win against CSI.
He allowed two earned runs on six hits over seven innings against WNC.
"He was real good," Whittemore said. "We didn't earn much."
In the first, Howard was hit by a pitch, Pena singled and Barnett reached on a fielder's choice to give the Wildcats runners at first and third with two outs. Barnett was caught in a rundown, but before Eastern Utah was able to record the out on Barnett, Howard scored to make it 1-0.
In the second, Parsley singled with two outs and scored on Pena's single. WNC added two unearned runs in the seventh.
Pena was 3-for-3 with a double, Travis Feiner hit an RBI single and Kevin Schlange added a hit.