The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team put together two games of stellar pitching, timely hitting, and good defense in claiming a doubleheader from Miles Community College Tuesday afternoon at Cleveland Field.

                Game one saw Dawson Hurford and Trevor DuBray combine for eight strikeouts as the Cougars pounded out 13 hits in registering the 13-6 win.

                Game two was similar as Paul Panduro struck out seven as WNCC registered a 12-4 win.

                It was the Cougars first two wins of the season and important step as the Cougars open Empire Conference play this weekend when they travel to Otero Junior College.

                Panduro, who tossed just four innings in striking out seven and allowing just three hits, said the team played really well today to get the wins.

                “Honestly we played really good as a team,” the Scottsbluff pitcher said. “Today, our at bats were a lot better than yesterday [Monday]. We were seeing the ball and hitting the ball and it all worked out. It all worked out. Our pitching was really good as well and we all contributed to get the two wins.”

                It was a marked difference in play from Monday when WNCC lost twice to Miles 13-11 and 11-1 to Tuesday when it was an excellent team effort.

                “Getting these two wins right now is really important for us because now we are going into conference play this weekend,” he said. “These two games were really, really important to win. We are going to Otero with two wins now and we have to keep going with that with the same energy.’

                Pitching was a big key as WNCC’s five pitchers threw strikes and limited runs by the Pioneers.

                “We have been practicing this for the past seven months, I think, in just coming together as a pitching staff and seeing what we need to do,” Panduro said. “We were getting strikes and hitting our spots.”

                The first game dictated the overall day. WNCC started with nine runs in the first two innings and really never looked back.

                The Cougars scored four in the first. WNCC loaded the bases and then Mike Felton walked to force in the first run. Matt Womack followed with a 2-run single to make it 3-0 and then Felton came racing into home plate on an error for the 4-0 lead.

                WNCC added five more in the second inning. Caleb Coats started things with a double followed by Joe Kinneberg reaching on an error. Jayden Orozco scored one with a double to make it 5-1. Jordan Rollins then walked to load the bases. WNCC ran the bases to score to make it 7-1. Womack scored the final two runs of the frame with a double.

                Miles would come back and score three in the third to make the score 9-4. The Pioneers chipped into WNCC’s lead even further with two in the fifth to make it 9-6. WNCC answered in the bottom of the fifth with four runs. Riley Schanaman started things with a single followed by Coats reaching on a walk. Kinneberg then reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. Orozco earned a walk to force in Schanaman and then Rollins had a 2-run single to make it 12-6. WNCC added another run on a sacrifice fly for the 13-6 lead.

                WNCC had nine hits in the win and took advantage of running the bases. Womack led the team with two hits, including a double with five RBIs. Rollins had two hits with a double, two runs scored, and two RBIs, while Coats had two doubles with three runs scored.

                Dawson Hurford tossed four innings to get the win, while Trevor DuBray picked up the save in pitching the final three innings. Hurford allowed five hits and four runs with three strikeouts and just one walk. DuBray allowed three hits and two runs while striking out five.

                The second game saw Panduro, Brian Bruxwroot, and Owen Vantillo all through quality innings. The three combined on allowing just seven hits and four runs while striking out 10. Panduro had seven strikeouts while Vantillo fanned three and didn’t allow a run.

                WNCC finished the game with eight hits with three hitters getting two hits. Dillon Fabricus led the way with two hits with four RBIs. Womack also had two hits, both singles with two RBIs, while Felton also had two singles with a run scored and two RBIs.

                Miles scored first in the opening inning with a run. WNCC answered with a single run in the first as Luis Alcantara scored on a Dillon Fabricus single.

                Womack led off the second with a single and scored two batters later on a Felton single for the 2-1 lead.

                Miles came back and tied the game with a single run in the top of the third, but WNCC plated three in the bottom of the frame as Alcantara doubled and scored on an error. Jaydan Rollins then doubled. Womack was hit by a pitch to load the bases and then Quinn McCafferty walked to score Joey Olson with the fourth run. Rollins scored the fifth run as he cross home place on a Felton sacrifice fly for the 5-2 lead.

                WNCC continued playing strong, adding two more in the fourth and five more in the fifth for the 12-4 lead.

                The fourth saw Fabricus score Jack Jones and Olson with a single for the 7-2 lead. After Miles scored two in the top of the fifth, WNCC added five in the bottom of the frame and all five runs came with two outs.

                Felton singled to start the fifth and then Sergio Tarango was hit by a pitch to put two one. The first and second runs of the inning were when Olson and Rollins walked to force in Felton and Jones for the 9-4 lead. Fabricus was then hit by a pitch to force in another run and then Womack ripped a single to score the final two runs of the game.

                WNCC, 2-6, will be back in action Saturday and Sunday when they travel to LaJunta, Colorado, to face Otero Junior College. WNCC will then return home the rest of March to face 10 straight home contests to close out March. The Cougars will open the long series next week when they face Miles Community College next week Tuesday and Wednesday and they host Williston State on March 13 and 14.

Game 1

Miles CC               013 020 0 – 6 8 4

WNCC                   450 040 x – 11 9 0

WP – Dawson Hurford; S – Trevor DuBray

2B – WNCC (Caleb Coats 2, Jayden Orozco, Jordan Rollins, Matt Womack); Miles (Jake Lacey, Tim Holyk).

HR – Miles (Dawson Parry, Stockton Brems; Ian Krump).

Game 2

Miles CC               101 020 0 – 4 7 2

WNCC                   113 250 x – 12 8 0

WP – Paul Panduro.

2B – WNCC (Luis Alcantara, Jordan Rollins; Miles (Ian Krump 2).

HR – Miles (Ian Krump).