COLLEGE: Wildcats clinch SWAC crown

Western Nevada College claimed its third regular-season Scenic West Athletic Conference title by sweeping College of Southern Idaho, 12-2 and 3-2, Saturday afternoon at John L. Harvey Field.

WNC improved to 33-3 in conference. The Wildcats are 16-0 at home this year and are currently on a 28-game home winning streak (dating back to last season) heading into next weekend's series against Salt Lake.

WNC will host the SWAC post-season tournament which starts May 12. As champions, WNC and second-place Salt Lake get first-round byes. The Wildcats will play May 11 at 10 a.m.

"I feel very grateful to be the coach of a team that has phenomenal leadership and a lot of unselfish players," WNC coach D.J. Whittemore said. "This is the first time in the six years that we've been in the league that a team has clinched first before the final weekend of the season.

"The biggest advantage is we get to be in class. We'll be a week away from finals. We also get to sleep in our own beds."

The only bad news on the day was that Bobby Pappin suffered an ankle injury scoring the game-ending run in the first game. Whittemore said they are awaiting X-ray results to find out the severity of the injury.

In the opener, WNC wiped out a 2-0 deficit with nine runs in the fourth inning. Tanner Nielsen had a two-run triple, Taylor Smart a run-scoring double and Beau Day had a run-scoring triple to spark the outburst.

Pat McMeel hit a two-run single in the sixth which ended the game on the mercy rule.

Andrew Woeck pitched five innings and struck out six.

In the nightcap, WNC entered the seventh with a 3-1 lead thanks to a pair of run-scoring hits by Connor Eppard.

With Chris Garrison on the hill, WNC made two infield errors on routine plays enabling CSI to cut the lead to 3-2 before Garrison got the final out.

SOFTBALL

CSN SWEEPS WNC

LAS VEGAS - For the second straight day, WNC lost an opportunity for a doubleheader split against its in-state rival.

CSN took the opener 9-1 and followed that up with an 8-6 win in the second game. The second game was marred when Sarah Cudahy suffered an injury when she was hit with a throw sliding into second base. She was taken into the hospital and apparently has a concussion.

WNC led 6-5 entering the sixth, but CSN scored three to take the lead for good. Niki DiSera went 3-for-4, while Ashley Gleason went 2-for-2. Melanie Pfeiffer, Cudahy, Jordan Thomas, Ashley Hall and Tori Hynick all had one hit.

Jamie Klopatek took the loss. She struck out four and walked five while giving up nine hits.

In the opener, CSN scored four in the sixth to end the game by the eight-run rule. Cassie Vondrak took the loss. She fanned five and yielded 12 hits.

Pfeiffer went 2-for-3, while Gleason, DiSera, Hall and Thomas added a hit apiece.