WNC loses tourney opener in 11 innings

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. " Western Nevada College outhit the top-ranked team in the nation Saturday in the opening game of the Alpine Bank Junior College World Series.

The Wildcats just couldn't get the hit when they needed it, falling 4-3 to Howard (Texas) College on an 11th-inning walkoff home run.

Western Nevada took leads of 2-0 and 3-2, but Howard just kept coming back to tie it up. What did in the Wildcats (45-13) was their inability to get a key hit with runners in scoring position.

They left the bases loaded in the first, fifth and ninth innings. WNC left 15 runners on base during the game.

"We didn't cash in there and that's big, that's what's going to win you ballgames, when you cash in with the bases loaded," Western Nevada catcher Jerome Pena said.

Pena went 2-for-6 in the 3-hour, 40-minute ballgame but drove in all three runs for the Wildcats, who play the Iowa Wester Reivers in an elimination game at 9 a.m. today. Iowa Western lost to Shelton State, 16-6.

Pena struck out twice with the bases loaded, though, first in the opening inning to end the threat and again for the second out of the ninth inning.

"They had the timely hits," Pena said. "You've got to give it up to them."

Kyle Starratt, the fourth pitcher the Wildcats used, gave up the leadoff home run to Runey Davis, the No. 1 hitter for the Hawks, leaving the pitch over the plate too much. Davis, who played at the University of Texas last year, jumped on the pitch.

"Just a tad," the Hawks' centerfielder said with a slight grin. "We couldn't get anything going and that's not our baseball at all. We have Monday now and I think all the pressure is gone now. We got that first game out of the way."

With a 14-hit attack, Western Nevada figured to score more runs, but Howard's infield defense kept knocking down balls, preventing extra bases.

Western Nevada could have had a big inning in the third were it not for a base running mistake. Lance Ray walked to lead off the inning and Brian Barnett made a bid for a gap ball to left-center. Left fielder Joe Leftridge, though, made a running catch, and Ray had taken off on contact. He was doubled up, and Travis Feiner followed with what could have been an RBI double.

After scoring the go-ahead run in the fifth, the Wildcats had the bases loaded with two out, but Jay Skilton grounded out to second.

Western Nevada, like every other team that's played Howard since the Hawks started making national news with their 57-game winning streak, was ready to face the top team in the country.

"You want to play the No. 1 team in the nation," Pena said. "That's what we came here for. You've got to give them credit, they did a good job. It was a dogfight the whole game. I enjoyed it. We'll see them again."