WNC baseball takes two over CSI

The Western Nevada College baseball team picked up two Scenic West Athletic Conference wins Friday at the College of Southern Idaho.

The Wildcats won 6-4 and 9-8.

WNC was led by Travis Freiner's 3-for-3 with two doubles. He knocked in three runs and scored one. Lance Ray added a two-run home run, his conference-leading sixth on the year in the fourth inning. Daniel Zylstra added the other RBI.

Kramer Champlin pitched 3.2 innings in relief of Jordan Lewis to pick up the win. Lewis went 3.1 giving up a run, on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Champlin allowed three runs, two earned on two hits, a walk with six strikeouts.

In the second game Rusty Devitt came in the eighth inning and worked out of a jam before pitching a scoreless ninth earning the save for the Wildcats. Coach D.J. Whittemore called the Devitt the player of the day.

"He came in and closed the door in (eighth)," Whittemore said. "My hats off to him. He's worked hard."

Kyle Starratt started for the Wildcats working 5.2 giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out six. He was relieved by Jeff Barto who picked up the win working two innings giving up five runs on five hits.

Brian Barnett led the tam offensively going 3-for-5 with 5 RBI. Jay Skilton went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a triple. He scored three times. Mike Stiles also scored three runs going 2-for-3.

WNC improves to 8-2 in conference and 14-8 going into today's doubleheader against CSI (3-7 in conference). WNC's pitching staff is a banged up right now with three hurlers out with injuries. The lack of depth in the bullpen is a concern for Whittemore as the Wildcats will face CSI's best pitcher Sam Armstrong, who Whittemore said has an earned run average "well under two."

"The pitching staff is a huge concern," Whittemore said. "We will have our hands full today."

He said Javy Perez will take the ball in game one and he is undecided on who will throw in game two.